The Gerundense regions closed the first quarter of 2026 with 54,200 people unemployed and a rate of 12.5%, the highest level since the second quarter of 2021. The increase leaves 10,900 more unemployed between January and March and breaks the improvement with which 2025 had ended, when the rate stood at 10.13%.
The evolution of the labor market in Girona also translates into a fall in employment. At the end of March there were 379,800 people working, 4,800 fewer than in December, when 384,600 were counted. The employment rate fell from 54.35% to 53.47%.
Strong setback in services and decline in construction
The most intense blow was concentrated in services, especially in hospitality and commerce. In just three months, it went from 278,000 employed to 262,000, with a loss of 16,000 jobs. Construction also closed the quarter down, with 30,100 workers, 2,100 fewer than at the end of December.
In the face of that fall, the industry gained 11,700 employed people and reached 82,300. Agriculture also improved, with 1,600 more workers, until reaching 5,400.
Unemployment returns to levels not seen since 2021
The current rate of 12.5% remains above that recorded a year ago, when in the first quarter of 2024 it was 12.47%, and still below the 14.49% that was reached in the second quarter of 2021. Even so, the data places Girona in its worst quarter closing in almost five years.
The union and business reading coincides in the concern. CCOO warned that these are worse figures than those of other first quarters and pointed to the economic impact of the conflict in the Middle East, with a direct effect on inflation and, now, on employment.
"These are much worse data than those of previous first quarters" - Diana Estudillo, CCOO Girona
The organization demands measures to protect jobs, avoid a slowdown in investments and promote a change in the productive model that generates quality employment. Pimec, for its part, rejected normalizing a 12.5% unemployment rate in Girona while companies and entrepreneurs maintain unfilled vacancies.
"We don't like them at all" - Maxi Rica, UGT Girona
UGT linked the rebound to the slowdown in activity and to an international context marked by the rising cost of energy and economic uncertainty. From FOEG, an assessment of concern was also made, although with caution due to it being a seasonally unfavorable period, and a growing uncertainty linked to the increase in costs, geopolitical instability, and greater regulatory complexity was warned of.
Catalonia returns to double digits in the unemployment rate
In Catalonia as a whole, the unemployment rate exceeded 10% for the first time in three years and the number of unemployed rose to 435,600 people. That is 84,400 more than the previous quarter, an increase of 24.03%, and 59,200 more than a year ago, a 15.73% increase.
The quarterly increase led the Catalan rate to rise 1.88 points and to return to double digits after eleven quarters. In year-on-year comparison, it was 1.21 points above the 8.91% registered a year earlier.
By sectors, the only area where unemployment fell in Catalonia was construction, with a fall of 25.14% compared to the first quarter of 2025. In contrast, it strongly increased in agriculture, where it shot up by 176%, and also in industry, with 77.8%, and in services, with 22.07%.
Occupation falls at the start of the year despite record affiliation
Employment in Catalonia fell by 1.18% compared to the previous quarter and Social Security affiliation decreased for the first time in three quarters, to 3,867,000 workers between January and March. Despite that fall, the volume of affiliates remained at highs for a first quarter since historical series exist, with records since 2002.
In comparison with the same period last year, Catalonia maintained employment growth with 17,000 more jobs, a 0.44%. The largest quarterly drop in employment was concentrated in services, with a decrease of 3.12%, in a start of the year marked by the end of hirings for the Christmas campaign. The temporary employment rate stood at 11.6%, more than two points below that of the first quarter of 2025, with 384,100 temporary employees.
The deterioration of the start of 2026 leaves Girona among the territories most affected by the rebound in unemployment in Catalonia, with a labor market that loses strength in services and faces spring with more unemployment, less employment and a climate of unease shared by unions and employers' associations.