The Holy Week break in tourism has coincided with a noteworthy dip in unemployment across the Alicante province. In April, 2,866 people left the unemployment register, while the overall tally remained at 146,665. The services sector stood out with a significant drop in jobless figures, adding 2,696 new entrants to the recovering pool of workers and bringing its total unemployment in that sector to 98,562. This pattern reflects the seasonal rebound often seen when tourist activity returns after the holidays and local businesses ramp up hiring to meet demand in restaurants, travel services, retail, and hospitality.
Other sectors show a mixed but still improving picture. In agriculture, 226 people moved off the unemployment list, reducing the sector total to 5,795. The construction industry reported 68 fewer unemployed workers, bringing its total to 12,803. Industry overall saw a modest decline as well, with 44 fewer unemployed, leaving the national figure for this sector at 19,081. The only segment that recorded an uptick consisted of individuals who had not previously held a job, adding 170 to the unemployed count and pushing the total to 10,424. These shifts illustrate how different parts of the economy respond to seasonal activity and policy changes, while also highlighting the ongoing need for targeted employment programs and training opportunities. [Source: Department of Labor data, attribution noted.]
One of the most striking observations from the Department of Labor data is the evolution of perpetual contracts. The post-reform period has shown a marked increase in stable employment arrangements. In April, there were 47,256 new contracts registered, with 27,349 being permanent or fixed-term contracts and 19,907 classified as temporary. This trend suggests a shift toward longer-term employment commitments in the wake of the reforms, a development with implications for workers, employers, and the broader regional economy. Analysts note that this shift can influence income stability, consumer spending, and local hiring cycles, even as the headline unemployment figures continue to fluctuate. [Cited: Department of Labor statistics, attribution included.]