SPAIN: Employment Goes Up & more – 5th June 2025

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 5th of June twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

Let’s start this week with some good news about employment. According to the Ministry of Labor, in May twenty twenty-five, Spain's registered unemployment fell below 2.5 million for the first time since July two thousand eight.

This milestone reflects a continuing recovery from the two thousand eight global financial crisis, when problems in the US economy caused the global economy to slow. The Social Security system added nearly 200,000 new contributors to its list, bringing the total people employed to almost twenty-two million.

The hospitality sector led employment gains, adding over 70,000 jobs, followed by administrative services, commerce, and transport. Agriculture also saw significant growth, with over 18,000 new jobs created.

Tourism has also gone according to National Statistics Institute data published on Monday, the 2nd. In April twenty twenty-five, Spain welcomed over 8 million international tourists, an increase of 10% from April twenty twenty-four.

Total tourist spending was also higher than the same period last year, totalling nearly 11 billion euros, a 14% increase. On average, tourists spent just under 1,300 euros, with daily spending rising to around 190 euros.

The data shows that Catalunya was by far the most visited region, followed by Andalucía in the south and the Balearic Islands, east of the mainland. Around 1.6 million British tourists visited the country, followed by 1.3 million German and French tourists.

Over to central Spain now, where on Tuesday the 3rd, severe flooding hit the Spanish city of Valladolid following an extreme forty-five-minute downpour.

Streets were quickly submerged, with residents wading through ankle-deep water and pushing stranded vehicles. Flooded garages, tunnels, and parking lots left several cars trapped.

Emergency services received over 200 calls within two hours leading authorities to activate a civil protection plan and coordinate emergency efforts. Oscar Puente, Spain’s transport minister, shared dramatic footage of the flooding, noting its unprecedented nature in Valladolid.

Despite the intensity of the flood and widespread disruption, no casualties were reported, and response teams swiftly worked to manage the aftermath.

Did you hear that rumbling? On Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, located just off the coast of Morocco, the iconic Teide volcano is showing signs of awakening, with a recent increase in seismic activity drawing public and scientific attention.

Standing over 12,000 feet or 3,656 meters tall, Teide is the tallest volcano in Spain and the third tallest in the world from its oceanic base. The volcano lies within the Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Europe’s most visited national park.

Its last eruption was in nineteen nine, but recent tremors suggest a possible shift, prompting 24/7 monitoring by scientists. Despite the seismic activity, experts stress there is no immediate danger or travel warning. For now, the park is open for visitors while authorities monitor the situation.

Next, an update on short-term rental rules. Starting the 1st of July, Spain will enforce new European regulations requiring all short-term rental properties to be officially registered to operate legally.

From July, every tourist or seasonal rental will have to get a unique registration code, or risk being removed from the market. As a renter, you can also check that the host has included their registration number on the listing.

The Spanish Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda has introduced a Single Rental Register to simplify the process, requiring property owners to submit key details, including the property’s address, cadastral reference, rental type, occupancy limits, and compliance with local rules.

The government says the system will create a transparent, regulated market amid growing housing pressures.

In European news, on Monday the 2nd, news outlet Veinte Minutos revealed that Yolanda Díaz, the Labor Minister, said that the country has to pay a 10 million euro fine from the European Union for failing to implement the paid eight-week parental leave required by EU law.

The penalty began accumulating in August twenty twenty-four after the deadline to follow the EU directive into national law expired. Joaquín Pérez Rey, Spain’s Secretary of State for Labor, has urged coalition partners to act swiftly to avoid further penalties, which are increasing by roughly 10,000 euros a day.

Even though paid leave was included in the coalition agreement between the Socialist Party and Sumar, progress has stalled significantly in recent months.

On Tuesday the 3rd, news outlet El País reported that the Catalan Department of Education has given Mare de Déu del Carme school in Terrassa, just outside Barcelona, fifteen days to prove that four of its newly hired teachers are proficient in Catalan and hold the required master’s degree for teaching secondary education.

This follows a formal complaint by over 150 families alleging that the school has shifted towards religious extremism and ultraconservative values since new management took over three years ago.

The school, linked to deeply religious groups, such as Communion and Liberation, denies ideological changes but admits hiring teachers who do not speak Catalan, which violates regional language regulations.

Local authorities are also investigating potential indoctrination.

Meanwhile, once labeled a ghost town after Spain's two thousand eight housing crash, Sesena near Madrid is experiencing a revival driven by the capital's worsening housing crisis.

News outlet Reuters published data on Wednesday, the 4th, saying that Madrid's population has grown rapidly in recent years, with around 140,000 newcomers to the city in twenty twenty-four, but permits for only 20,000 new homes. Demand is growing, so abandoned projects, such as the town of Sesena, are starting to come back into favor among housing developers.

Local contractors plan to build 110,000 homes by twenty twenty-eight in the area, but critics have stressed that this isn’t enough to address the lack of housing in the capital.

According to a recent article in the news outlet Euroweekly published on Tuesday, the 3rd, giant moths, which can measure up to five centimeters or two inches long, are becoming a growing nuisance across Spain, particularly in homes. Triggered by an unusual mix of heat and rain, their sudden population boom has been linked to a perfect storm of climate conditions.

Juan Carlos Santiago of Spain’s National Association of Biocidal Services explained that the weather has caused these moths to emerge all at once, making them more noticeable. While they might be harmless, many have been taking to social media to complain about these mega moths invading wardrobes, kitchens and clinging to clothing.

Experts generally advise against using insecticides, telling people to put up mosquito nets, seal windows, and use camphor balls or plant some lavender instead.

In the world of music and AI, on Monday, the 2nd, Roig Arena managers announced in a press release that one of the Valencia arena’s inaugural events will be a tribute concert to iconic Spanish singer Nino Bravo, titled Bravo, Nino: The Legend Returns. The arena is scheduled to open in September and will hold concerts, sports events, and retailers.

The concert will debut on the 6th of September with a star-studded tribute featuring David Bisbal, Malú, Marta Sánchez and Pablo López. This tech-powered experience will leverage AI using a 2D hologram of the late legend himself, letting today's stars sing alongside him.

Let’s go to the kitchen for another interesting story. In the celeb world, famous chef and TV star Gordon Ramsay is launching Europe’s first Hell’s Kitchen restaurant in Ibiza, marking a major culinary event for the region.

Gordon Ramsay Restaurants and Palladium Hotel Group will open their collaborative restaurant on Monday, the 9th, at The Unexpected Ibiza Hotel in Playa d'en Bossa.

The menu will feature Ramsay’s signature dishes like beef wellington, lobster risotto, and sticky toffee pudding, alongside Spanish-inspired creations such as Basque-style cheesecake and spicy hellfire prawns.

Finally, a recent YouGov study published by news outlet La Razón on Monday, the 2nd, has revealed the happiest towns in Spain, with seven of the top ten located in Andalusia, in the south.

Chipiona, near Cádiz, ranked number one for its friendly locals, pleasant climate, and relaxed lifestyle. Ronda and Nerja, both in Málaga, are popular because of their stunning natural scenery and warm communities.

The study highlighted a geographic pattern of happiness relating it to good weather and a laid-back lifestyle, something that is prominent and palpable in the south of Spain.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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¡Hasta la próxima!