Press Release 20/10/2017
The population in work fell by 1.0% and the unemployment figure stood at 11.5% in the third quarter of 2017 in the Basque Country
Industry was the only sector that saw an increase in employment, with 3,200 more individuals in work
The data from the labour market in the Basque Country from the third quarter of 2017 showed a figure of 914,200 individuals in work, which is a decrease of 9,000 compared with the previous quarter (-1.0%), according to Eustat data. On the other hand, the unemployment rate of the Basque Country stood at 11.5%, half a percentage point up on the second quarter of 2017.
As a result of the change in the working and unemployed population, the activity rate was 56.3% in the third quarter of 2017, 0.2 percentage points below that of the previous quarter.
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By province, all three experienced a drop in employment. The province that saw the greatest decrease was Bizkaia, with 7,500 less individuals in work, followed by Gipuzkoa with 1,200. In Álava the figure was down by 200. This drop in employment in the three provinces is also reflected in their capitals: Donostia / San Sebastián saw the greatest decrease in employment, with 1,200 less individuals in work; it was followed by Bilbao with 1,000 less and, finally, Vitoria-Gasteiz with 300 less.
As far as gender was concerned, the fall in employment affected women, with 11,300 fewer in work than in the previous quarter, whilst the number of men in work increased by 2,400.
Industry was the only sector where employment increased
The employed population in the Basque Country increased by 11,300 in the Services sector, 500 in Industry and 300 in the Primary Sector, while in Construction the number of people in work fell by 3,200.
The employment rate, calculated as the percentage of people in work aged 16 to 64 over the total for these ages, fell four tenths compared to the previous quarter, standing at 66.5%. This figure reached 70.5% for men and 62.4% for women.
By province, the highest employment rate turned out to be that of Gipuzkoa, with 68.7%, the same as in the previous quarter. Álava came second with 67.2% and a rise of two tenths and, finally, Bizkaia, where the employment rate fell by nine tenths, to stand at 64.9%.
There was a decrease in the number of households where all members were employed and a rise in those where all members were unemployed
In the third quarter of 2017 it was estimated that there were 878,000 households in the Basque Country, a third of which did not have any active individuals. In just over half of households, all of the active individuals were in work, 6,000 families less than the previous quarter; furthermore, households where all active individuals were unemployed stood at 41,900, 2,900 households more than in the previous quarter.
The unemployment rate rose to 11.5%, five tenths more than the previous quarter
The unemployed population in the Basque country, that is, resident individuals who are seeking employment, actively making enquiries and available for work, was estimated to be 118,900 in the third quarter of the year, 5,000 more than the previous quarter. The number of unemployed women, 62,300 individuals, was up by 7,900, whilst the number of unemployed men fell by 2,900, reaching a total of 56,600 for the quarter.
The data for the third quarter of 2017 revealed an unemployment rate of 11.5%, half a percentage point up on the previous quarter. The male unemployment rate fell to 10.4% (0.6 percentage points down) and the female rate was up 1.7 points, reaching 12.7%. The youth unemployment rate continued to be the highest at 21.6%, with an increase of 2.5 percentage points, affecting 8,600 active young people between the ages of 16 and 24.
By province, the greatest increase in the number of people out of work was in Bizkaia (3,000 individuals) where the unemployment rate stood at 12.8%, 6 tenths more than the previous quarter. In Gipuzkoa, with 30,800 individuals out of work, the number of unemployed rose by 1,100, with the unemployment rate rising by 3 tenths to stand at 9.1%. In Álava, there were 900 more unemployed individuals than the previous quarter and the unemployment rate was up half a point (12.1%). There was also an increase in unemployment in the three capitals; Bilbao saw the highest growth, with 1,900 unemployed individuals, reaching 25,100; followed by Donostia / San Sebastián, with 7,500 individuals out of work, an increase of 800; finally Vitoria-Gasteiz with 600 more unemployed, reached 14,800.
According to EUROSTAT, the Statistical Office of the European Union, in August 2017 the unemployment rate of the European Union-28 stood at 7.6% and that of Spain stood at 17.1%.
Last year, the number of people in work increased and the number of people out of work decreased
The employed population in the Basque Country has grown in relation to the third quarter of 2016 by 2,600 people, 0.3% more, a growth in which there are 1,900 more employed women and 700 more employed men.
The unemployment rate was down by 1.2 percentage points (from 12.7% to 11.5%), with 13,300 fewer individuals unemployed in the Basque Country compared to the data from the third quarter of 2016.
98.5% of average registered workers were in work, according to ILO criteria.
It is estimated that there were 846,300 registered workers for the quarter on average in the Basque Country, i.e. the number of individuals residing in the Basque Country who were registered for Social Security at the time of the survey. Of those, the PRA estimates that 98.5% were employed, according to criteria from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), a total of 833,900 individuals.
Amongst those employed according to ILO criteria in the PRA, 70,800 people, 7.7%, were not registered in the Social Security system, either because they did not work for companies based in the Basque Country, or they belonged to public mutual societies for civil servants, or are in other situations.
27.4% of those unemployed were not registered as unemployed with the Basque Employment Institute (Lanbide)
It is estimated that there was a quarterly average of 119,700 unemployed individuals registered with Lanbide, i.e. individuals residing in the Basque Country who were registered in Lanbide at the time of the survey in any one of the categories designated for registered unemployment. Of those, 69.6% were unemployed according to the ILO definition. (83,300 unemployed individuals). Of the individuals unemployed according to the ILO definition in the PRA, 27.4% were not registered as unemployed with Lanbide (32,600 individuals), even though they may be registered under other categories.
For further information:
Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Instituto Vasco de Estadística
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tlf: 945 01 75 62