New employment data for August 2025 show that the Alt Pirineu and Aran comarques recorded just one additional unemployed person compared to July, according to figures published by the Observatori del Treball i Model Productiu of the Generalitat de Catalunya.
Across Catalonia, job losses were significant, with 63,562 fewer jobs and 7,942 more unemployed people than the previous month, a 2.5% rise in unemployment. But this negative trend did not strongly affect the mountain regions.
In the comarques of Alt Urgell, Alta Ribagorça, Cerdanya, Pallars Jussà, Pallars Sobirà and Aran, the total number of unemployed people now stands at 1,797, out of a population of approximately 75,000.
Job losses in Alt Urgell (-12), Pallars Jussà (-9), Pallars Sobirà (-8) and Alta Ribagorça (-4) were offset by gains in Cerdanya (+27) and Aran (+5), resulting in a net increase of just one unemployed person.
Unemployment Below Regional Average
All these mountain areas remain below Catalonia’s overall unemployment rate of 8.1%. Aran has the lowest rate at 2.09%, followed by Alta Ribagorça at 2.74%.
Alt Urgell continues to face the highest joblessness in the region, with 708 unemployed people representing 8.06% of the active population.
Local Labour Market Resilience
The stability in unemployment numbers across most of the Alt Pirineu and Aran reflects a resilient local labour market, despite seasonal fluctuations.
These findings are based on official statistics from the Generalitat’s labour observatory, which monitors employment trends across Catalonia’s comarques. The data highlight the divergent economic patterns between urban and rural areas in the region.
Primary sources: Observatori del Treball i Model Productiu. Generalitat de Catalunya. Departament d'Empresa i Treball. Reported by lavalira.eu, segre.com, naciodigital.cat, elpuntavui.cat, LLeida Diari, teleponent.cat, ACN.
