Unemployment jumps by 36'000 in March

Spain’s official monthly unemployment report published today has shown how figures continue to rise - showing almost 36,000 more joining the dole last month, which takes the total to 4,166,613.

The report, issued by the Ministry for Work and Immigration, also notes that the increase last month is three times smaller than recorded for the same month last year, however, it still remains the second biggest rise seen in any previous March.

However, maybe the construction industry can take hope – March was the first time in six months that the number of unemployed construction workers has fallen.

Throughout the last year unemployment as a whole has grown by 561,211 - 15.5%, with the Secretary General for Employment, describing this month’s report as ‘negative’ but also claiming that the increase was slowing down.

Deputy Prime Minister, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, said the number showed that ‘we are on the road to recovery’.