Andalucia has hit a new employment record despite global uncertainty linked to the Iran conflict and persistent inflation, underlining the strength of its economy heading into the spring and summer season.

According to the latest data, the region added 50,543 workers in March – the highest figure for that month since records began in 2004.

That brings the total number of workers to 3,558,969, representing an all-time high for any month and surpassing the previous record set in May last year.

Tourism and construction lead

As expected, the biggest driver was hospitality, boosted by warm weather and the early start of Semana Santa.

The sector added 19,433 jobs in just one month, the equivalent to around 647 new positions per day.

Construction also posted strong growth, adding 7,017 jobs, signalling broader economic momentum beyond seasonal demand.

Agriculture also rebounded, with 3,276 new jobs, largely linked to the strawberry harvest in Huelva, which alone accounted for nearly half of all new affiliates in Andalucia.

However, officials warn this figure should be treated cautiously, as temporary workers can be registered multiple times within the same month.

Meanwhile, the olive harvest winding down led to a sharp drop in employment in Jaen, where 12,434 jobs were lost.

Self-employed numbers near 600,000

The number of self-employed workers also continues to climb steadily.

Another 3,004 people joined the system in March, bringing the total to 594,168, also a record high and edging closer to the 600,000 mark.

Unemployment falls

Unemployment also declined, although at a slower pace.

The jobless total fell by 8,836 people, with women accounting for the majority of the decrease.

For the first time since June 2008, total unemployment in Andalucia has dropped below 580,000.

On a yearly basis, the improvement is even more striking: there are 63,584 fewer unemployed people than a year ago – the strongest March reduction in recent years.

Leading Spain in unemployment drop

Andalucia accounted for roughly 35% of Spain’s total drop in unemployment in March, and four in every 10 people who left unemployment over the past year nationwide are from the region.

In percentage terms, it is the second-best performing region in Spain for unemployment reduction, behind Extremadura.

Growth still in line with population

Despite the strong figures, there is a nuance. While Andalucia leads in reducing unemployment, it does not dominate job creation to the same extent.

Its annual growth in contributors stands at 2.63%, slightly above the national average, but regions such as Madrid, the Balearics and the Canaries have grown faster proportionally.

In absolute terms, only Madrid added more workers over the past year.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.