October employment figures break usual pattern in the Marina Alta

October arrived with figures that partly break the usual seasonal trend in the Marina Alta. According to the Observatori Marina Alta, this is typically a month when unemployment rises sharply after the close of the tourist season. This year, however, the labour market showed unexpected strength. Unemployment rose only slightly – just 50 people, or 0.66% – while the number of registered workers remained exceptionally high for this time of year, reaching 63,721, the best October figure ever recorded. Employment was up 3.44% compared with the previous year, outperforming the provincial average, and 2,951 employment contracts were signed, a small dip of 2.77% compared with October 2024.

The post-summer slowdown that began in August continued, marking three consecutive months of job losses. Even so, October’s decline of 369 workers (0.58%) was the mildest since 2022, making October 2025 the third-best in the historical series. The region still reached a record number of affiliated workers for the month of October. By sector, education performed the best thanks to the start of the school year. Construction and industry also grew. The overall drop in employment was tied to the end of the tourist season, with notable declines in hospitality (down 691 workers) and retail (down 96).

Looking at the year as a whole, the number of registered workers rose by 2,117 people, or 3.44%, the strongest annual increase since November 2023. October therefore closed with a moderate adjustment – 369 fewer workers and 50 more unemployed people – but the overall picture remains positive: the decline was far smaller than in previous years, and the region continues on a path of solid growth.

Unemployment increased by 50 people, the smallest October rise ever recorded. The Marina Alta now has 7,609 unemployed residents, the lowest October figure since 2007. The situation is also better than a year ago, when unemployment grew by 86 people, and far below the historical average, when October typically adds around 450 jobseekers. By gender, unemployment rose among women (up 1.56%) and fell among men (down 0.52%). Over the past year, the reduction in unemployment has been nearly identical for both groups: down 8.40% for men and down 8.38% for women. Youth unemployment also remains very low for this month, with just 384 people under 25 registered as jobseekers.

By sector, unemployment increased only in services (up 87) and among those seeking their first job (up 7). Overall, the region has 697 fewer unemployed people than in October last year, an annual drop of 8.39%.

The fall in social security registrations has not worsened job quality. Permanent contracts still make up about 63% of all new hires (1,854 contracts). The most common type continues to be the permanent seasonal contract (1,393 contracts, 30.24%), followed by temporary part-time contracts (19.60%), temporary full-time contracts (17.22%), full-time permanent contracts (15.09%), and part-time permanent contracts (11.31%).

According to data from the Observatori Marina Alta of CREAMA and PACTE’MA – funded by LABORA and the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy as part of the Avalem Territori programme – the Marina Alta now has an unemployment rate of 10.67%, lower than in October 2024 (11.88%) and also below the rates for the province of Alicante and the Comunidad Valenciana.