Unemployment fell in March in Ponent and Alt Pirineu i Aran to 15,774 people, with 220 fewer unemployed people than in February, which represents a decrease of 1.38%. The drop breaks a dynamic of four consecutive months of slight increase and also shows an improvement in the annual comparison, with 425 fewer people looking for work than a year ago, 2.62% less.
Decline in unemployment after four months on the rise
The reduction in unemployment was supported above all in the services sector, where unemployment fell by 186 people. It also decreased in construction, with 37 fewer unemployed, and in industry, with 24 fewer. In contrast, March closed with increases in agriculture, with 10 more people registered on unemployment lists, and in the group of people without previous employment, which added 17 more.
The services sector continues to concentrate the largest volume of unemployment, with 10,414 people. Behind are the group of people without previous employment, with 1,727 unemployed, industry with 1,408, agriculture with 1,182, and construction with 1,043.
More than 9,300 women unemployed in the demarcation
Of the total of 15,774 unemployed people in the regions of Ponent and Alt Pirineu i Aran, 9,336 are women and 6,438 are men. Among all registered individuals, 1,542 are under 25 years old.
The evolution of March thus leaves a moderate correction of unemployment in the Lleida demarcation, after several months of contained increase, and consolidates a somewhat better situation than that of a year ago.
Membership gains 781 employed people in a month
In parallel, March closed with 781 new jobs in the demarcation, 0.37% more than in February. The total number of affiliates stood at 212,628 people.
In year-on-year terms, membership advanced by 4,738 people, which represents an increase of 2.28%. The Lleida labor market thus maintains a positive evolution in employment, while moderately reducing the number of people registered in employment offices.
Signed contracts rise in March
During March, 10,489 contracts were signed in the Lleida demarcation, 893 more than in February, with an increase of 9.31%. In comparison with the same month last year, 338 more contracts were registered, a 3.33% increase.
Of the total contracts formalized, 5,264 were permanent and 5,225 temporary. The data show a month of March with improvement in both employment and hiring in the whole of Ponent and Alt Pirineu i Aran, with the services sector as the main thermometer of the labor market's evolution.