The figures from the fourth quarter of the Working Population Survey show that unemployment in Barcelona is down to 6.1%, the lowest rate in the last 16 years. Employment levels and labour activity are at record levels, as is the case with women’s employment.

The rate for specific activity (from 16 to 64 years of age) was up in the last quarter of 2023 and reached 83%, some 0.9% higher than the previous quarter (6% year on year). This is higher than the figure for the rest of Catalonia, the Spanish state and the European Union.

As for the specific employment rate (from 16 to 64 years of age), this saw a quarterly growth of 1.9% in the city, reaching 79.8%.

Women’s employment up

The employment rate grew to 77.9%, the highest ever figure, with an increase of nearly 9% since the fourth quarter of 2022. Women’s unemployment stood at 6.3%, some 0.4% higher than the figure for men (5.9%).

Among young people, some 21.2% of the active population between the ages of 16 and 24 are unemployed, although this figure has dropped by 3.5% compared to the previous year.

In overall figures, Barcelona’s active population stands at 918,200 people, of which 863,000 are in work and 54,900 are unemployed.