The number of unemployed workers in Aragon decreased by 5,600 people during the third quarter of the year, 10.1% compared to the previous quarter, and stood at a total of 50,300 people, with a unemployment rate of 7.8% of the active population, according to data from the Active Population Survey (EPA) published this Thursday, October 26, by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
This is the third lowest rate among all autonomous communities and four percentage points below the national average, 11.8%. In the third quarter, the labor market showed a very positive evolution in year-on-year comparison, with an increase in the active population and employment accompanied by a decrease in unemployment.
Compared to the second quarter, employment also increased, while the active population decreased, so unemployment also decreased.
In the third quarter of 2023, the active population of Aragon increased by 4,500 people a year, 0.7% at the annual rate, which means a chain of three consecutive quarters of increase in the active population. Therefore, the number of active summer workers stood at a total of 646,900 people in Aragon.
For its part, the number of people working in Aragon reached 596,600 people in the third quarter of the year, that is, 12,600 more than a year ago, which corresponds to an increase of 2.2% in the annual rate.
As a result of the two changes, the number of unemployed decreased by 8,000 people a year, leaving a total of 50,300 people unemployed in the third quarter of 2023.
Of this, the unemployment rate stood at 7.8% of the active Aragonese population in the third quarter of the year, one percentage point and three tenths lower than what was observed in the same quarter last year. This is the lowest unemployment rate since 2008. In turn, the Aragonese unemployment rate is 4 percentage points lower than the national average in the third quarter of 2023 (11.8%).
Compared to other communities, Aragon presents the third lowest unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2023 of all the Autonomous Communities and Cities with Statute of Autonomy, behind the Balearic Islands and Cantabria.
In the surrounding Autonomous Communities, the unemployment rate in the summer of 2023 stood at 8.3% of the active population in the Basque Country, 8.5% in Catalonia, 9.3% in Navarra, 9.6% in La Rioja or 11.8% in the Valencian Community.
Compared to the second quarter of 2023, in the third quarter of 2023 the active population decreased while employment increased in Aragon, thus resulting in a significant reduction in unemployment.
Therefore, in the third quarter of 2023 the active population decreased by 3,600 people compared to the previous quarter (-0.6% quarterly), while employment increased by 2,000 people compared to the spring (0.3% quarterly). Taking into account the two differences, the number of unemployed decreased by 5,600 people in a quarter, corresponding to a quarterly decrease of 10.1%.
In the province, the unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2023 stood at 6.4% of the active population in Huesca, 8.3% in Teruel and 8.0% in Zaragoza.
