The unemployment rate in Spain fell to 18.6% for the fourth quarter of 2016, the lowest level since 2009, according to employment data from the National Statistics Institute. 

The number of people out of work fell by 83,000 in the October-December period, to 4.2 million. Over the year, the unemployment rate decreased by 2.3%. Despite the fall in unemployment, Spain has the second highest total jobless rate in Europe, coming behind Greece.

Spain’s youth unemployment level stood at 43% for the fourth quarter, down from 46% last year.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has stated that Spain has created 1.75 million jobs since 2013 and has pledged to have 20 million people employed by 2020 which he said is on track at the current rate.