The month of April almost always brings good news in terms of employment, and this year it has brought it twice over. Due to the 223,685 new registered affiliates, the third largest increase in the series for this month, although slightly less than last year, and also because it represents a new record, surpassing 22.1 million contributors. The Spanish labor market had never reached 22 million before, and now it has done so by a wide margin.

The European Commission recommends that Spain limit the use of the reduced VAT and specifically points to hotels and restaurants, as, in its view, these preferential rates have a “very limited redistributive effect” on society despite their high cost to the State. That is, they benefit higher incomes more than lower ones because they consume it the most, according to community sources. Meanwhile, the impact of this tax that is not collected is enormous: the 10% VAT for hospitality is costing Spain 0.4% of GDP, or the equivalent of almost 7 billion euros each year.

In Catalonia, 49.1% of foreign workers with higher education are overqualified, which means more than 142,000 people working below their educational level. This is shown in the study Bones pràctiques en integració laboral de les persones migrades, presented this Tuesday by the CTESC. Among those who arrive in the country having completed post-compulsory studies, this percentage is 38.5%.