Malaga job market nears historic milestone as Costa del Sol tourism surges

Employment

Provincial unemployment hits lowest level since 2008 following April's hiring spree, putting the sub-100,000 target within reach

Nuria Triguero

Malaga

The Costa del Sol’s tourism industry is back at full throttle, with April marking a pivotal month for the reopening of hotels, beach bars, ... and seasonal businesses.

This year, the sector’s momentum was further amplified by the Easter holidays falling at the start of the month, triggering a massive wave of recruitment across the province.

Malaga province has emerged as a national leader in job creation, with 15,000 people joining the workforce in April. This surge places the province alongside Madrid and Barcelona at the forefront of the Spanish labour market. While the Balearic Islands saw a larger spike due to their simultaneous hotel reopenings, Malaga’s growth remains a standout performer on the Iberian Peninsula.

Hospitality drives the recovery

The hospitality sector continues to be the primary engine of the local economy, accounting for 8,666 of the new jobs created last month. Many of these roles were filled by seasonal workers on permanent-discontinuous contracts returning to their posts, but the surge also significantly impacted the jobless register.

Unemployment in Malaga province dropped by 4,152 people in April, ending the month with a total of 104,415 unemployed - the lowest figure recorded since the 2008 financial crisis. While the decline was felt across all sectors, the services industry saw the most dramatic improvement, with 3,187 fewer people out of work.

For years, the pre-crisis levels of 2008 have served as a benchmark that the province struggled to beat. However, with the current momentum, the goal of dropping below the 100,000 unemployed threshold looks more attainable than ever. Malaga now has 11,106 fewer unemployed residents than this time last year. With the traditionally high-performing months of May, June, and July still to come, breaking that historic barrier appears to be a realistic prospect for 2026.

Record-breaking Social Security figures

Malaga has already shattered its all-time record for total employment. The number of people registered with Social Security reached 761,292 in April. This total includes:

• 582,913 salaried workers (General Scheme)

• 144,638 self-employed individuals (Autónomos)

• 21,978 agricultural workers

• 10,747 domestic staff

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This growth follows a strong March, which also saw 14,000 new jobs created. Year-on-year, the province has seen an increase of 26,195 workers, representing a robust 3.56% rise in employment.

Malaga leads Andalucía’s growth

Within Andalucía, Malaga spearheaded the region's employment growth in April. While Seville recorded a larger total decrease in unemployment (down 5,825), Malaga led the way in new worker registrations.

Across the region, the picture was varied. While Huelva, Cádiz, and Seville all posted gains, inland provinces like Jaén and Córdoba saw slight dips in employment. Overall, Andalucía added 43,312 registered workers in April, with Malaga’s 15,000 new contributors cementing its position as the region's primary economic powerhouse.