Labor Market Trends in Q3 2025
The latest figures from the National Institute of Statistics (INS) reveal a labor market that is slowly contracting, almost silently. The active population has decreased slightly to 4,259.3 thousand people, compared to 4,259.9 thousand in the previous quarter. This minimal decline of 0.6 thousand people is enough to reverse a trend that has been in place for several months.
Breakdown of the Active Population
The distribution of the active population remains highly skewed:
- 2,922.5 thousand men, accounting for 68.6% of all active individuals
- 1,336.8 thousand women, representing 31.4% of the total
This slight decrease in the number of active individuals has led to a mechanical decline in the activity rate, which has fallen from 46.2% to 46.1%.
Employment Trends
The decline has also affected those who are employed. The number of active individuals with a job has decreased to 3,605.6 thousand, down from 3,608.8 thousand in the previous quarter, representing a loss of 3.2 thousand people. Although the gap appears small, it reflects a labor market that is struggling to absorb all available workforce.
Among employed individuals:
- Men account for 71.2% of the total, with 2,558.8 thousand individuals
- Women account for 28.8%, with 1,036.8 thousand individuals This structure highlights that employment remains heavily male-dominated.
Sectoral Analysis
A sectoral breakdown provides a clearer insight:
- More than half of employed individuals (53.5%) work in the service sector
- Manufacturing industries account for 19.2% of employment
- Non-manufacturing industries represent 13.2%
- Agriculture and fishing account for 14.2% of employed individuals
These four pillars have different dynamics, but they share a common reality: the tertiary sector is still the main driver of employment in the country.
