Registered unemployment fell by 16,291 people in December, a 0.7% decrease compared to November. Meanwhile, Social Security affiliation rose by 19,180 workers—a moderate increase for a month that usually sees some of the year’s largest gains due to the Christmas season. With these figures, the total number of unemployed people stood at 2,408,670, while the number of contributors reached 21,844,414.
The drop in unemployment in December was primarily driven by the services sector, where jobless numbers fell by 14,287 (-0.8%). This is consistent with the hiring surge in retail, hospitality, and logistics during the Christmas period.
Conversely, unemployment rose in sectors less exposed to seasonality. In construction, unemployment grew by 5,568 people (3.2%), while in industry, it rose by 1,684 (0.9%).
Social Security affiliation increased by 19,180 people on average in December—a modest figure for a month that typically sees one of the largest increases of the year. In December 2024, affiliation grew by 35,500, and in December 2023 by 29,936, confirming that the growth recorded at the end of 2025 was more moderate than in other recent year-ends.
For 2025 as a whole, the number of contributors grew by 506,451 people, allowing the year to close at record levels. In seasonally adjusted terms, affiliation added 33,076 workers in December and surpassed 21.87 million for the first time, consolidating all-time highs for the series.
