The number of temporary contracts in Spain that were converted into permanent contracts increased by 21.6% in 2016 compared to the previous year according to data from Randstad Spain.

The data from Randstad shows that 582,026 temporary contracts were converted into permanent contracts last year. This figure represents a continuous growth during four consecutive years after the lowest number of contracts converted to indefinite of the whole historical series (395,882) was reached in 2012. Since then, conversions increased by 47% to return to overcome the barrier of half a million contracts converted in 2016.

"The positive trend of the conversion of contracts into indefinite contracts shows that temporary contracting is increasingly an option for Spanish professionals to gain access to a stable job," Luis Pérez, Director of Institutional Relations at Randstad, said. "In addition it allows the worker to increase his employability, his experience in the labour market and his professional development.”

The analysis from Randstad shows that permanent contracts increased by 29% among workers under 25 years in 2016, the age bracket in which the highest growth has been recorded. This is followed by professionals over the age of 45 years.

Among the regions, Catalonia registered the most conversions in the last year.