Press Release 17/07/2025

SURVEY ON POPULATION IN RELATION TO ACTIVITY. II/2025

The unemployment rate dropped to 5.7% in the second quarter of 2025, after the number of employed people in the Basque Country rose by 18,900 and the number of unemployed people fell by 13,200

Last year, the number of people in work increased by 17,600 and the unemployment rate fell by 1.8 percentage points, from 7.5% to 5.7%

Data from the second quarter of 2025 on the labour market in the Basque Country showed 18,900 more people in work and 13,200 fewer unemployed people than in the previous quarter, according to Eustat data. There were an estimated 61,100 unemployed people and the figure for people in work stood at 1,010,400 in this second quarter of 2025.

The unemployment rate for the Basque Country stood at 5.7%, 1.3 percentage points down on the first 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, remained at 56% in the second quarter of 2025 in comparison with the previous quarter.

By province and compared to the previous quarter, there were 9,200 more people in work in Bizkaia, 5,100 more in Gipuzkoa and 4,700 more in Álava. Regarding the capitals,there were 3,900 more employed people in Vitoria-Gasteiz and 2,700 more in San Sebastián. However, there were 800 fewer people in work in Bilbao.

The rise in employment affected both men and women; there were a 9,900 more men in work and 9,000 more women. With regards to nationality, the number of Spanish nationals in work increased by 13,800 (1.5%) and the number of foreign nationals in work rose by 5,100 (5.3%).

Employment rose in the services sector, industry and construction and fell in the primary sector

The employed population in the Basque Country rose by 13,800 people (1.9%) in the Services sector; by 3,400 (1.7%) in Industry and by 1,900 (3.3%) in the Construction sector. In contrast, there were 300 fewer people (-3.2%) employed in the Primary sector.

The employment rate, calculated as the percentage of people in work aged 16 to 64 over the total for these ages, rose 1.2 percentage points compared to the previous quarter, standing at 71.9%. This rate rose to 74.2% among men and 69.6% among women, respectively, 1.0 and 1.3 percentage points more than in the previous quarter. Amongst young people aged between 16 and 24, the employment rate decreased from 29.4% to 27.7%, 1.7 percentage points lower than the previous quarter.

As regards nationality, the highest employment rate was recorded amongst Spanish nationals, with 73.9%, rising 0.9 percentage points compared to the previous quarter. Among foreign nationals the employment rate rose by 2.8 points to stand at 57.8%.

By province, Gipuzkoa had the highest employment rate, at 73.6%, an increase of 0.8 percentage points compared to the previous quarter. Álava was in second place with 72.7%, increasing by 1.6 percentage points; lastly, in Bizkaia, the employment rate rose by 1.3 points to stand at 70.6%.

In relation to the types of contracts of salaried individuals, the number of people with permanent contracts increased by 12,300 in respect of the previous quarter and, in relation to the second quarter of the previous year, the increase was 24,500 people.

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

In the second quarter of 2025 it was estimated that there were 927,600 households in the Basque Country, of which a third did not have any active individuals, 2,900 more households than in the previous quarter. In six out of every ten households, all of the active individuals were in work, 9,800 more families. Furthermore, households where all active individuals were unemployed stood at 18,600, 5,900 fewer households than in the previous quarter (a decrease of 24%).

The second quarter of 2025 posted an unemployment rate of 5.7%

The unemployed population in the Basque Country, i.e. individuals who are available for work, actively making enquiries and seeking employment, was estimated to be 61,100 in the second quarter of the year, 13,200 fewer than in the previous quarter. The number of unemployed women, 31,700 individuals, decreased by 5,100, while the number of unemployed men fell by 8,200, reaching a total of 29,400 for the quarter.

The data for the second quarter of 2025 revealed an unemployment rate of 5.7%, down 1.3 percentage points compared to the previous quarter. The unemployment rate for men dropped 1.5 percentage points to 5.3% and the unemployment rate for women fell by 1 point to stand at 6.1%. Amongst young people aged between 16 and 24, the unemployment rate was 12.4%, down 0.6 percentage points compared to the previous quarter.

With regards to nationality, the unemployed population figure decreased among Spanish nationals by 8,100, standing at 44,500. Among foreign nationals, unemployment decreased by 5,100 to stand at 16,600 people out of work.

By province, in Bizkaia, the number of unemployed people fell by 6,800 to stand at 37,400, and the unemployment rate decreased by 1.3 percentage points, standing at 6.7%. In Gipuzkoa the number of unemployed people fell by 5,600 and there were 14,600 people out of work, the unemployment rate falling by 1.6 percentage points to stand at 4.1%. In Álava the number of unemployed people dropped to 9,100, 800 fewer, and the unemployment rate stood at 5.6%, half a percentage point less than in the first quarter.

As regards the capitals, there were 2,900 fewer unemployed people in San Sebastián, 1,000 fewer in Vitoria-Gasteiz and 400 fewer in Bilbao, compared to the previous quarter.

According to EUROSTAT, the Statistical Office of the European Union, in May 2025 the deseasonalised unemployment rate of the European Union as a whole was 5.9% and that of Spain was 10.8%.

Compared to the second quarter of 2024, the number of employed people rose by 17,600 and the unemployment rate fell by 1.8 percentage points

Last year, in comparison with the second quarter of 2024, there were 17,600 more people in work, an increase of 1.8%. There were 9,400 more people working in the services sector; 4,900 more in the construction sector; and 3,600 more in industry. There were 300 fewer people working in the agricultural sector. Regarding unemployed people, the number of people out of work in the Basque Country fell by 19,700 and the unemployment rate decreased by 1.8 percentage points (from 7.5% to 5.7%).

97.5% of registered workers for the quarter were in work, according to ILO criteria

It is calculated that there were 949,800 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 97.5% were employed, a total of 926,200 individuals, according to criteria from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Amongst those employed according to ILO criteria in the PRA, 47,200 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.

38.6% of unemployed people were not registered as being unemployed

It is estimated that there was a quarterly average of 84,900 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, 42.6% were unemployed according to the ILO definition (36,200 people). 38.6% of unemployed people according to the ILO definition in the PRA were not registered as unemployed with Lanbide (23,600 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