Unemployment in Xàbia continues to drop during February

Monday 14th March 2022 – Mike Smith
Source: original article – Álvaro Monfort (Xàbia AL DÍA)

Unemployment continues to drop in Xàbia during the first quarter of this year with a total of 1,418 people registered as unemployment during February 2022, 26 less than January.

Traditionally, the first months of the year are economically difficult for the municipality and noted particularly for a considerable increase in unemployment. It is the low season in terms of tourist numbers, and many businesses, especially those in the hospitality sector, opt to close until the spring or even Easter if the previous summer campaign has been good for them.

Yet, it is the second month in a row that the number of unemployed has dropped slightly, suggesting a progressive – albeit slow – economic recovery after the crisis caused by pandemic lockdown, health restrictions, and a reluctance of many people to socialise. And one of the main reasons for the decrease could be that “things were so bad that they can now only get better”!

However, it is becoming clear that the figures are much better than those registered before the pandemic and that is where the unusualness of this situation lies. Compared to February 2020, when registered unemployment was 1,553, there are 135 less people without a job in Xàbia. It is true that the beginning of 2020 was not easy, with Storm Gloria doing a lot of damage throughout the municipality and then the pandemic reaching our shores. However, according to the data from SEPE, the State Public Employment Service, February 2019, was also higher than 2022 with 1,501 registered as unemployed.

Regardless, although the figure is high for a municipality like Xàbia, the numbers are the lowest February for three years which has to be a positive, although we’ll have to wait to see how the crisis in Ukraine and the sanctions that the European Union has declared against Russia affect the local economy.

Breaking down the figures for February

A total of 837 women and 554 men were registered on the SEPE lists. The gap widens between the two genders. In the case of men, with its variations between age groups, the total decreases by almost 100 unemployed people compared to January. But it is that in the case of women it decreases by a single person. This is especially striking.

In both cases, the most affected age group is once again that of those over 45 years of age, with 456 unemployed women and 347 men. Regarding the group of 25 to 44 years old, 339 women and 193 men were registered (being the group with the greatest differentiation compared to January) and in the group of people under 25 years old, 42 women and 41 men.

By productive sectors, the services sector once again brought together the largest number of unemployed with 1,149 (16 less than in January). Construction, with 146 people, experienced a decrease of 9 people, Industry fell by 2 people (41) and Agriculture and Fishing also fell by 1 person, remaining at 18. A total of 64 people without previous employment were registered with SEPE .

In terms of contracts, in the last month 543 new ones were signed. Although the number of temporary contracts continues to be the highest (194), there has been an increase in the signing of permanent contracts (97) and temporary contracts that have become permanent (33).