The Association of Large Temporary Employment Agencies (Agett) in Spain is predicting further rises in unemployment. 

The latest report published by Agett entitled ‘Avance del Mercado Laboral’ (Developments in the Labour Market) predicts that in the fourth quarter of this year a further 190,000 jobs will be lost in Spain, according to a story by Staffing Industry Analysts.

The Association is predicting that in December and January alone another 250,000 jobs will be lost. This is more than in the whole last quarter of 2009. However, while this is undoubtedly bad news, it is 100,000 fewer job losses than in the same period last year.

Agett says that “the only reason why the unemployment rate was stable at 17.9% in the third quarter of 2009 was the negative growth in the number of people looking for jobs.

“Many people categorised as foreigners, men, people between the ages of 25 and 34, construction workers and industrial workers have stopped looking for jobs in the third quarter of 2009 [which is why they don’t appear in the official statistics.”