Average affiliation falls by 199,902 in January but reflects 12,613 more jobs in seasonally-adjusted terms

The average number of people affiliated to the Spanish Social Security system in January stood at 16,575,312. This figure represents a decrease of 199,902 (-1.19%). Since comparable records began (2001), affiliation has never risen in January. Seasonal factors mean that January is traditionally a negative month in this regard but the decrease this year is the second lowest since 200

​Nonetheless, in seasonally-adjusted terms, affiliation rose by 12,613 - the second-highest January increase in seasonally-adjusted affiliation since January 2008. This figure follows the trend seen in the last 18 months, in which seasonally-adjusted affiliation has posted positive results.

In year-on-year terms, the affiliation rate continues to rise (up 2.48% in January) and has now posted 12 straight months of year-on-year growth, thus reflecting the first year-on-year creation of jobs in January since January 2008.

The State Secretary for the Social Security System, Tomás Burgos, believes "in short, the trees of January should not prevent us from seeing the wood, because the job creation trend is taking root. Seasonally-adjusted affiliation reflects 18 months of job creation and the year-on-year rate confirms complete stability: accumulating 12 months of positive figures".

Affiliation under the General Regime fell by 187,213 on December (-1.38%) to stand at an average of 13,399,304. Continuing the January trend - a month in which the Christmas employment growth deflates, decreases were recorded across the board.  The sharpest downturns were posted in the Trade sector, with 32,001 fewer jobs (-1.46%); the Hotel and Catering sector, with 23,721 fewer jobs (-2.47%); the Administrative Activities and Ancillary Services sector, with 21,861 fewer jobs (-2.01%); the Construction sector, with 15,950 fewer jobs (-2.5%) and the Manufacturing Industry, with 14,405 fewer jobs (-0.89%).

It should be noted that the Special System for Agricultural Workers posted a decrease of 39,803 (-5.03%) to a total of 750,834 jobs. In turn, the Special System for Domestic Workers posted a decrease of 3,782 jobs (-0.88%).

An average of 3,114,389 people are affiliated under the Regime for Self-Employed Workers, a decrease of 11,417 (-0.37%). Employment under the Regime for Seamen fell by 1,172 (-1.99%) to an average of 57,669. Finally, the Regime for Coal Workers has an average of 3,951 contributors.

n year-on-year terms, the rate increased by 2.48% or 417,703 more jobs. This follows a full year of rising affiliation. The majority of this growth corresponds to the General Regime, with 326,992 more jobs than last year and year-on-year growth of 2.5%.

It should be noted that the rate rose by 2.49% under the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers, which translates into an increase of 75,608 people when compared with the same month in 2014. The Regime for Seamen posted a decrease of 0.86% (-499).

The number of men registered with the system stands at 8,875,685 while the number of women stands at 7,699,628.

As regards affiliation by foreign citizens last month, this figure stood at an average of 1,516,056 - of which 1,271,672 are affiliated under the General Regime, 240,614 under the Regime for Self-Employed Workers, 3,511 under the Regime for Seamen and 259 under the Regime for Coal Workers.