Press Release 17/10/2025

SURVEY ON POPULATION IN RELATION TO ACTIVITY. III/2025

The employed population decreased by 4,100 people and the unemployment rate rose to 6.8% in the third quarter of 2025 in the Basque Country

Last year, the number of people in work increased by 8,400 and the unemployment rate fell by 4 tenths of a percentage point, from 7.2% to 6.8%

Data from the third quarter of 2025 on the labour market in the Basque Country showed 4,100 fewer people in work and 12,500 more unemployed people than in the previous quarter, according to Eustat data. There were an estimated 73,600 unemployed people and the figure for people in work stood at 1,006,300 in the third quarter of 2025.

The unemployment rate in the Basque Country rose to 6.8%, 1.1 points more than in the second quarter of 2025. As a result of the evolution in the employed and unemployed population, the activity rate, calculated on the basis of the population aged 16 and over, increased by 3 tenths of a percentage point compared to the previous quarter and stood at 56.3% in the third quarter of 2025.

By province and in relation to the previous quarter, there were 2,200 fewer people in work in Bizkaia, 1,100 fewer in Álava and 900 fewer in Gipuzkoa. With regard to the capitals, there were 2,300 fewer people in work in San Sebastián, 1,300 fewer in Bilbao and 1,100 fewer in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

There was a decline in employment among women, with 4,200 fewer women in work, whilst the number of men in work increased by 100. As regards nationality, the number of Spanish nationals in work decreased by 3,300 (-0.4%) and the number of foreign nationals in work fell by 800 (-0.8%).

Employment was down in the services sector and construction, and up in the primary sector and industry

The employed population in the Basque Country decreased by 3,600 (-0.5%) in the services sector and by 1,400 (-2.3%) in construction. By contrast, in the primary sector it rose by 600 (6.5%) and in industry it increased by 300 (0.1%).

The employment rate, calculated as the percentage of people in work aged 16 to 64 over the total for these ages, fell by 0.7 percentage points compared to the previous quarter, standing at 71.2%. This rate stood at 74.1% among men and 68.4% among women, respectively, 0.1 and 1.2 percentage points down on the previous quarter. By age, the employment rate fell by 1.8 percentage points among people aged 25 to 44, standing at 81.5%. Among people aged 45 and over, it dropped by 0.7 percentage points to stand at 76.8%. However, amongst young people aged between 16 and 24, the employment rate increased from 27.7% to 29.2%, 1.5 percentage points higher than the previous quarter.

As regards nationality, the highest employment rate was recorded amongst Spanish nationals, with 73.3%, down 0.6 percentage points compared to the previous quarter. Among foreign nationals, the employment rate fell by 0.9 points to stand at 56.9%.

By province, Gipuzkoa had the highest employment rate at 72.9%, 0.7 percentage points less than the previous quarter. Álava was in second place with 71.9% and a drop of 0.8 percentage points; and, lastly, in Bizkaia, the employment rate fell by 0.6 percentage points to 70%.

In relation to the types of contracts of salaried individuals, the number of people with permanent contracts increased by 200 in respect of the previous quarter and, in relation to the third quarter of the previous year, the increase was 17,700 people.

In six out of every ten households all active individuals were employed

In the third quarter of 2025 it was estimated that there were 929,100 households in the Basque Country, of which a third did not have any active individuals, 2,300 more households than in the previous quarter. In 6 out of every 10 households, all of the active individuals were in work, 12,200 fewer families. Furthermore, the number of households where all active individuals were unemployed stood at 21,600, 3,000 more households than in the previous quarter.

The third quarter of 2025 posted an unemployment rate of 6.8%

The unemployed population in the Basque Country, that is, individuals who are available for work, actively making enquiries and seeking employment, was estimated to be 73,600 in the third quarter of the year, 12,500 more than in the previous quarter. The number of unemployed women, 38,100 individuals, increased by 6,400, while the number of unemployed men rose by 6,000, reaching a total of 35,400 for the quarter.

The data for the third quarter of 2025 revealed an unemployment rate of 6.8%, up 1.1 percentage points compared to the previous quarter. The unemployment rate for women rose by 1.2 percentage points to stand at 7.3%, and the unemployment rate for men increased by 1 point to 6.3%. Amongst young people aged between 16 and 24, the unemployment rate was 14%, 1.6 percentage points higher than in the previous quarter.

With regard to nationality, the unemployed population figure increased among Spanish nationals by 11,400, standing at 55,900. Among foreign nationals, unemployment increased by 1,100 to stand at 17,700 people out of work.

By province, in Bizkaia, the number of unemployed people increased by 6,900 to stand at 44,300, and the unemployment rate rose by 1.2 percentage points, standing at 7.9%. In Álava, the number of unemployed people increased to 12,500, 3,400 more, and the unemployment rate stood at 7.5%, 1.9 percentage points up on the second quarter. In Gipuzkoa, the number of unemployed people increased by 2,100 and there were 16,700 people out of work, with the unemployment rate rising by 0.6 percentage points to stand at 4.7%.

As regards the capitals, in respect of the previous quarter, there were 3,300 more unemployed people in Vitoria-Gasteiz and 200 more in San Sebastián, while there were 600 fewer in Bilbao.

According to EUROSTAT, the Statistical Office of the European Union, in August 2025 the deseasonalised unemployment rate of the European Union as a whole was 5.9% and that of Spain was 10.3%.

Compared to the third quarter of 2024, the number of people employed rose by 8,400 and the unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points

Last year, in comparison with the third quarter of 2024, the number of people in work rose by 0.8%, an increase of 8,400 people. There were 2,500 more people working in industry, 2,400 more in construction and the services sector, and 1,000 more in agriculture. Regarding unemployed people, the number of people out of work in the Basque Country fell by 3,300 and the unemployment rate decreased by 0.4 percentage points (from 7.2% to 6.8%).

96.4% of average registered workers were employed, according to ILO criteria

It is calculated that there were 943,000 registered workers for the quarter on average in the Basque Country, i.e. the number of individuals resident in the Basque Country who were registered for Social Security, weighted by the number of days worked in the quarter. Of those, the PRA estimates that 96.4% were employed, a total of 908,700 individuals, according to criteria from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Amongst those employed according to ILO criteria in the PRA, 46,900 people (4.7%) were not registered in the Social Security system, because they belonged to public mutual societies for civil servants, or because they were in other situations.

39.3% of unemployed people were not registered as being unemployed

It is estimated that there was a quarterly average of 85,800 unemployed people registered with Lanbide, i.e. people residing in the Basque Country who were registered on Lanbide at the time of the survey in any one of the categories designated for registered unemployment. Of those, 49.7% were unemployed according to the ILO definition (42,600 people). 39.3% of unemployed people according to the ILO definition in the PRA were not registered as unemployed with Lanbide (28,900 people), even though they may have been registered under other categories of job seeker.

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea/Basque Statistics Institute
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tel.: 945 01 75 62