Social Security surpasses 22.6 million registered contributors in October, following an increase of 784,573 over the past year

The Social Security system ended October with an average number of registered contributors exceeding 22.6 million in its original data series. Specifically, an average of 22,624,165 people in employment were recorded, representing the highest level on record, following an increase of 186,612 compared with September. This figure marks the largest increase ever recorded in October in the series.

Over the past year, the pace of job creation has accelerated to a rate of 3.6 per cent, representing an increase of 784,573 people in employment compared with the same month in 2025.

Excluding seasonal and calendar effects, the labour market now stands at a total of 22,571,105 registered workers, having added 90,309 this month, thereby reaching the highest level on record; this marks 69 consecutive months of increases.

Daily figures remained above 22.6 million workers on the 8th and, without interruption, from 13 to 29 October.

The trend in foreign registered workers is particularly dynamic; this group now accounts for 16.4 per cent of all registered individuals in Spain. On average, the number of workers from other countries has reached nearly 3.7 million - specifically 3,699,878 - an increase of 63,899 from September and 598,378 from a year ago.

Registered workers linked to the regularisation process

If we take a snapshot of the labour market, at the end of October, the number of foreign nationals registered through the extraordinary regularisation process stands at 490,586.

By country of origin, Colombia accounts for the largest share of individuals registered through this process (27.6 per cent), followed by Venezuela (15.7 per cent).

Meanwhile, since April, 557,410 individuals have been registered with the Social Security system for at least one day.

Of these 490,586, 75.2 per cent fall under the General Social Security Scheme, while 5.9 per cent are part of the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers (excluding the SETA - the special regime for agricultural self-employed workers). Furthermore, in terms of gender, 59.7 per cent are men and 40.3 per cent are women. By autonomous community, Catalonia and Madrid account for the largest share.

Average affiliation by activity sector

With regard to sectors of activity, the construction industry has seen the highest growth in registration numbers over the past year - when combining figures from both the General Social Security Scheme and the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers - at +7.3 per cent. This is followed by: Real Estate Activities (+5 per cent); Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (+5.3 per cent); and Publishing, Broadcasting and Content Production and Distribution (+5 per cent).

Within the General Social Security Scheme, average registration numbers showed year-on-year growth of 3.8 per cent (704,996). This figure was significantly exceeded in sectors such as Construction (+8.4 per cent) Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry and Fishing (+6.8 per cent); and Arts, Entertainment and Recreation (+5.4 per cent), among others.

Over 3.5 million self-employed workers

Enrolment in the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers has seen a year-on-year increase of 2.3 per cent, surpassing 3.5 million employed individuals for the first time in the recorded series. The most significant growth was recorded in the following sectors: Electricity, Gas, Steam and Air Conditioning Supply (+16.1 per cent); Telecommunications, Computer Programming, Consulting and IT Infrastructure (+15 per cent); Publishing, Broadcasting and Content Production and Distribution (+9.1 per cent); and Real Estate Activities (+8.8 per cent).

Overall, the number of self-employed workers stands at 3,501,598, which is 79,163 more than a year ago.

Women account for 47.4 per cent of the total

The number of women in employment has exceeded 10.7 million this month (10,712,135). That is 367,537 more women in work than a year ago.

Women account for 47.4 per cent of the total. Their presence in the labour market is growing at a year-on-year rate of 3.6 per cent. At the same time, male employment has also reached a record high, with 11,912,029 registered workers - an increase of 417,036 over the past year.

Fall in the number of temporary contracts

The proportion of temporary workers stands at 12.1 per cent, compared with 28.3 per cent in October 2021. Among those under 30, the proportion of temporary workers is 19.9 per cent, whereas five years ago it stood at 51.7 per cent.

Finally, the ratio of contributors to pensioners stands at 2.51, which is the highest level since 2011.

Non official translation