Spain enters 2026 with one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe, even as its economy shows some resilience within a slowing region. An infographic compiled by Visual Capitalist, using Eurostat and national statistical data, places Spain near the top of the European ranking for joblessness.
Key unemployment figures in Europe 2026
The latest comparison shows a clear split between higher‑ and lower‑unemployment countries across the continent. The European average is around 5.7%, leaving Spain and several large western and southern economies clearly above the mean.
Spain’s position in the European unemployment ranking
Spain’s unemployment rate of 9.8% gives it the second-highest unemployment rate in Europe, behind only Finland at 10.2%.
Rank | Country | Unemployment rate (%) |
|---|---|---|
1 | Finland | 10.2 |
2 | Spain | 9.8 |
3 | Sweden | 8.7 |
4 | Greece | 7.7 |
5 | France | 7.7 |
The figures highlight a two‑speed labour market across the continent, with:
Spain’s rate remains well above the European average of around 5.7%, and more than double that of several central and eastern European countries.
Spain ranks among Europe’s worst for youth unemployment
Eurostat’s latest seasonally adjusted data for January 2026 underline how sharply youth unemployment continues to weigh on Spain’s labour market.
- With a youth (under‑25) unemployment rate of 23.5%, Spain is one of the weakest performers in percentage terms, well above the EU average of 15.1%.
In absolute terms, France has the largest number of unemployed young people in Europe, with 717,000 under‑25s out of work in January 2026. Spain follows with 437,000 unemployed young people, ahead of Italy on 232,000 and Germany on 319,000, reflecting both the size of these labour markets and their differing unemployment rates.
Spain’s labour market improves as economy proves more resilient
Despite this, there are two important points of context for Spain:
- The country has recently dropped below 10% unemployment, for the first time since the beginning of the 2008 crisis.
- The Spanish economy has weathered the current European growth crisis better than many others, thanks in part to strong public investment and support from European Union funds.
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