In February 2026, the Spanish labor market showed mixed signals that concern CEPYME Aragón. Despite an increase of 97,000 affiliates to the Social Security system, unemployment rose by 3,584 people, reaching a total of 2,442,646 unemployed individuals in the country. This situation, according to the business organization, reflects an increase in the active population that exceeds the capacity for job creation, indicating a slowdown compared to previous years.
Labor Market Performance in Aragón
In Aragón, the registered unemployment in February stood at 50,374 people, with an increase of 779 unemployed individuals. The distribution by province shows Zaragoza with 39,330 unemployed, Huesca with 6,817, and Teruel with 4,227. However, compared to February 2025, unemployment has decreased in all provinces: Zaragoza experienced a drop of 3.74%, Huesca of 4.75%, and Teruel of 7.46%, indicating year-on-year improvement in the regional labor market.
CEPYME Aragón’s Concerns About Job Quality
María Jesús Lorente, spokesperson for CEPYME Aragón, has expressed concern about the quality of employment in the region. Only 20% of the contracts signed so far this year are full-time permanent positions, and the high turnover of these contracts limits job stability. Furthermore, the organization criticizes that the official unemployment figures do not adequately reflect the situation of individuals with discontinuous fixed contracts, distorting the perception of the labor market.
The slowdown in hiring is another concern highlighted by CEPYME Aragón, as fewer contracts were signed in February compared to previous months. Lorente emphasizes that Aragón has great potential and needs to attract talent to continue its growth. The community positions itself as an attractive destination for entrepreneurship and employment, especially in a context where unemployment is rising in other regions of Spain.
