Overview
- May 2026 saw about 232,000 new Social Security affiliates, pushing the total to roughly 22.3 million and marking the second-best May on record.
- Workers born abroad accounted for roughly half of May's net gains and now make up about 15% of all employed in Spain.
- The hospitality sector drove roughly 30% of new hires, and regions tied to tourism such as Catalunya and the Balearic Islands recorded the largest monthly rises.
- Most new contracts remain seasonal or temporary despite a rise in permanent hires and about 15,000 additional self-employed registrations in May.
- Analysts warn the headline strength may ease after summer because growth is concentrated in low‑productivity seasonal jobs and policy changes such as regularization could shift short‑term patterns.