Ibiza and Formentera have started the year with record numbers in the decline of unemployment. According to the latest data from the Employment Service, there are currently 2,813 people registered as job seekers, a reduction of 194 people compared to January 2024 and 51 less than last December.
Ibiza leads the decline in unemployment in the Balearic Islands
Ibiza has registered the largest year-on-year drop in unemployment in the archipelago, with a decrease of 6.6%, while in Formentera the reduction was 1.7%. In monthly terms, the smaller Pitiusa has stood out with a decrease of 11.4%, while in Ibiza unemployment has fallen by 1.3%.
This positive scenario is reflected in the economic activity of the islands, where both the services and construction sectors have reduced their number of unemployed. In the construction sector, Ibiza experienced a drop of 8.4%, while in the tourism industry the reduction was 6.6%.
Increase in self-employment and employment growth
The growth of self-employed affiliation is another of the positive indicators left by the first data of 2025. In Ibiza, the number of self-employed workers has increased by 2.7%, exceeding 53,000 affiliates, while in Formentera the increase has been 5.8%, reaching 3,405 self-employed workers.
January has also been positive in terms of hiring. In the Pitiusas more than 3,200 contracts were signed, of which almost 2,700 were long-term. Ibiza registered 38.2% more contracts than in December, being the island with the highest increase in the Balearic Islands. On Formentera, contracting grew by 18.1% over the previous month.
However, in the year-on-year comparison, the number of contracts fell by 0.9% in Ibiza and 24.8% in Formentera, suggesting that the labor market continues to adjust to seasonal dynamics.
The Balearic context: a positive occupancy trend
At the Balearic level, unemployment stood at 29,560 people, representing a drop of 5.03% year-on-year and the lowest figure for a month of January since records began. The services sector continues to account for most of the unemployed (22,110), followed by construction (3,518), industry (1,258) and agriculture (349).
Unemployment fell on all the islands: Ibiza (-6.6%), Menorca (-6.5%), Mallorca (-4.8%) and Formentera (-1.7%). In addition, the administrative unemployment rate stood at 5.8%, half a point less than in January last year.
