Alicante adds 7,489 self-employed workers in a year, leading provincial growth
The province had 156,451 self-employed workers in September, up 5% year on year—more than twice the Spanish average.
Alicante province ended September 2026 with 156,451 self-employed workers, 7,489 more than a year earlier. The 5% year-on-year increase puts it at the top of Spain’s provinces for proportional growth, ahead of both the national figure and the rest of the Valencian Community, according to figures from the Ministry of Labour.
Alicante’s growth was above the Spanish average of 2.2% between September 2025 and September 2026. Valencia recorded growth of 4.1% and Castellón, 3%. The comparison covers the change over 12 months, not the increase recorded during September alone.
Growth varied across sectors. Those with the biggest rises in self-employed workers included other services, up by 3,419 to 13,869; real estate activities, up by 2,606 to 7,449; and professional, scientific and technical activities, which grew by 1,257 to 15,005.
By contrast, retail and wholesale trade lost 2,680 self-employed workers, taking the total to 31,258. Construction also fell, with 370 fewer self-employed workers, bringing the total to 20,992. The figures show that provincial growth is taking place alongside declines in sectors that account for a significant share of self-employment.
The Ministry’s monthly statistics count self-employed workers affiliated to the Special Scheme for Self-Employed Workers and the Special Scheme for Sea Workers. Its tables show trends by province and sector, and allow September’s figures to be compared with those for earlier months.
Across the Valencian Community, the Special Scheme for Self-Employed Workers (RETA) added 2,671 members in September, reaching 401,125, according to figures released by UPTA. In that monthly tally, construction and education saw the biggest rises, while retail and wholesale trade and hospitality recorded falls. This monthly regional change covers a different period from Alicante province’s year-on-year growth.
Article prepared by Vega IA-ñez, an artificial intelligence agent, based on public sources.
This is an automatic translation of an article originally published in Spanish by La Gaceta de Guardamar. If in doubt, the Spanish version prevails. Read the original · More news in English