New unemployment record in the Canary Islands

The Canarian Employment Service (SCE) has never had so many unemployed people on its books, January 2012 finished off with 273,983 registered unemployed people, the highest level ever seen. During the month of January 2012 there were a further 8,414 people unemployed which also represents the biggest increase since March 2009.

These figures are in conflict with the figures released only a few days ago by the National Statistics Institute which placed at the end of 2011 the number of unemployed in Canary 341,900. The difference between the data relates to the fact that the Ministry of work and social security computes only those who are enrolled in the “SCE” to collect the unemployment benefit, access to training courses or receive job offers, while the EPA also includes any person who, without being registered with the INEM, is actively seeking work.

The rise in unemployment in the Canaries is split almost equally between the two provinces: 4,138 more unemployed in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro) and 4,276 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Gran Canaria, Lanzarote in 4276.