Drop in number of foreign employees

PALMA
LAST month, the number of foreigners working and signed on to Social Security in the Balearics stood at 100'835 - 3.4 percent more than the same month in 2007, an additional 3'332.

However, the central government Ministry for Employment and Immigration said yesterday that the average number of foreigners who are working in the region fell by 1.7 percent from July when the figure stood at 102'682.

The general workers sector, consisting of those working for a salary or wage goes to make up 75.6 percent of the average affiliated rating (76'261 people), while those who are self employed comprise 16 percent (16'135). Those working from home form 6.6 percent of the Balearic total, and affiliates working in agriculture 1.5 percent (1'557).

The increase in respect of the previous year is due chiefly to the higher volume of self employed workers which according to the figures for August this year have grown in number by 1'751 - 12.1 percent more than last year. In terms of where the foreign workforce comes from, 32'797 of Social Security affiliates hail from countries within the European Union, whilst 43'464 come from outside. Analysing the self employed figures, 12'667 are from the European Union, and 3'468 from countries outside it. The majority of those who have signed up to Social Security are from the South Amercian country of Ecuador (7'704 people), followed in numerical terms by those from Germany (7'009), Italy (6'576), Morocco (5'978) and the United Kingdom (5'214).

The hotel and restaurant industry continues to lay claim to the largest number of affiliates with 31'950 general workers, whilst the construction sector has 11'108 employees on its list of those registered with Social Security. Industries involved in renting of property and the provision of services to businesses clocked up 7'000 foreign affiliates.

Across the whole of Spain, the average number of non-Spanish nationals signed up to Social Security fell in August by 40'002 people, 1.8 percent less than in July this year. The total number of foreigners registered last month stood at 2'111'878, with 707'266 workers coming from other EU countries, while 1'404'612 originated from elsewhere.