The number of registered job seekers in Spain fell by 2.24 percent in December. The unemployment total was down by 107,570 people, leaving 4.7 million registered with job centres. <br /><br />However official surveys by the statistics institute INE show 5.9 million people remain out of work – 25.9 percent of the workforce in the third quarter. <br /><br />Those polls are of people who are looking for work rather than those who sign on at unemployment offices and are considered more representative of the labour market<br /><br />The government said the latest figures signal a gradual economic recovery is underway.<br /><br />The fact that more newly employed workers registered to pay social security contributions, was also hailed by Tomás Burgos, the minister responsible for that: “This was the best December for registrations since 2001. It is not a coincidence, but rather reflects a series of circumstances which inspire confidence.”<br /><br />Economists pointed out some of the fall in jobless numbers was due to extra workers being taken on by retailers expecting a slightly better Christmas shopping period, which in Spain ends with gift-giving on January 6th.<br /><br />They also noted Spain’s labour force is shrinking as people leave the country, seeking work abroad.
