Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Since 2021, the only source of information for vacancies data is the Quarterly Labour Cost Survey (QLCS). For occupied posts data, sections O and P are completed with administrative data in order to include all employees in these activities. There are of two different social security systems in public administration in Spain:
The first group comes under the Social Security General Scheme and is subject to the general rules of employment law, just like all other employees in other NACE sections included in QLCS.
The other group comes under the Special Scheme for civil and military public servants. Career civil servants in Central Government, armed forces personnel and justice and Parliament officials come under the State Employee Pension Scheme, whereby the State assures them protection against the risks of old age, disability, death and survival. For healthcare, temporary disability benefits, etc., such employees are covered by public-employee mutual societies. This group is not covered by the Social Security General Scheme and therefore is out of the scope of the QLCS. However, from 1 January 2011, all new civil servants are registered in the General Social Security Scheme being included in the QLCS coverage. The second system is now a closed system with the number of members decreasing as they retire.
The time series of vacancies has been revised from the data submission of the first quarter of 2021. Revisions have been made for the period from the first quarter of 2013 onwards.
2.2. Classification system
The quarterly data are broken down by economic activity (at section level) in accordance with NACE Rev. 2 - Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community.
2.3. Coverage - sector
All economic activities defined by NACE Rev. 2, except agriculture, forestry and fishing activities (optional in the JVS framework regulation), as well as the activities of households as employers and extraterritorial organisations and bodies.
2.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
A 'job vacancy' is defined as a paid post that is newly created, unoccupied, or about to become vacant:
for which the employer is taking active steps and is prepared to take further steps to find a suitable candidate from outside the enterprise concerned; and
which the employer intends to fill either immediately or within a specific period of time.
‘Active steps to find a suitable candidate’ include:
notifying the job vacancy to the public employment services,
contacting a private employment agency/head hunters,
advertising the vacancy in the media (for example internet, newspapers, magazines),
advertising the vacancy on a public notice board,
approaching, interviewing or selecting possible candidates/potential recruits directly,
approaching employees and/or personal contacts,
using internships.
'Specific period of time’ refers to the maximum time the vacancy is open and intended to be filled. That period shall be unlimited; all vacancies for which active steps are continuing on the reference date shall be reported.
An 'occupied post’ means a paid post within the organisation to which an employee has been assigned.
2.5. Statistical unit
The unit used in the Quarterly Labour Cost Survey is the "account of contributions". It is an administrative concept that companies use to pay the social contributions of their employees and usually coincide with the local unit.
For NACE section O and P: contribution account of the General Scheme of the Social Security or ‘ministry or autonomous organization crossed with kind of staff’ for civil servants not in Social Security.
2.6. Statistical population
Enterprises with one and more employees.
2.7. Reference area
The geographic area includes the whole national territory (including Canary Island, Balearic Island and Ceuta and Melilla).
2.8. Coverage - Time
Time series classified by NACE Rev. 2 are available from the first quarter of 2009 onwards.
2.9. Base period
Not applicable.
3.1. Source data
Identification of the source of the data
Until the fourth quarter of 2012 this statistic was produced by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy from:
Short-Term Labour Survey (Encuesta de Coyuntura Laboral - ECL). Quarterly sample survey of locals units.
A job vacancy special questionnaire directed at units with economic activity: Public Administration (NACE O)
Since 2013, the sources of information for job vacancies are:
A section about job vacancies included in the Quarterly Labour Cost Survey (QLCS) that is elaborated by the Labour Market Statistics Directorate at National Statistical Institute. This survey is also used to produce the Labour Cost Index sent to Eurostat.
Sections O and P are completed with administrative data in order to include all employees in these activities.
Coverage
Geographical
All the country
NACE
All NACE sections except A, T and U
Enterprise size
1 or more employees
Definition of the statistical unit
NACE sections B-N and P-S: contribution account of the General Scheme of the Social Security (group of workers of a company with the same characteristic in the payment contribution to Social Security and with economic activity in the same province). Usually it matches up with workplace.
NACE section O and P: contribution account of the General Scheme of the Social Security or ‘ministry or autonomous organization crossed with kind of staff’ for civil servants not in Social Security.
Remarks
Sampling design
Base used for the sample
The framework used for the selection was the General Register of Accounts of Social Security Contributions, held by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy.
For civil servants not in Social Security other frame is compiled with the information of a register of the Ministry of Finance and Public Administration for getting information of salaries in the state public sector.
Sampling design
The procedure for random selection of units corresponds to stratified sampling with optimal allocation, in which the sampling units are the accounts.
Sections O and P are completed with administrative data from a register of the Ministry of Finance and Public Administration
Retention/renewal of sampling units
Annual renewal or rotation of the sample In the Quaterly Labour Cost Survey, the total sample is divided into five rotation groups, in such a way that, in the first quarter of every year, the oldest group is replaced, which entails an annual renewal of 20% of the sample. This method guarantees companies that, at most, they will participate in the survey for 5 years. An exception must be made of the comprehensive units (units with more than 500 workers, and those belonging to strata that are so small that their sample size necessarily coincides with the population size), which due to their comprehensive nature, do not lead to any renewal, and with the exception of closure, must remain in the sample continuously. These units account for 28% of the sample.
Sample size
The sample is composed of around 28.000 units that will be interviewed each quarter.The sample is distributed in three monthly sub-samples such that the first sub-sample is always interviewed in the first month of each quarter, the second sub-sample is interviewed in the second month of each quarter and the third in the last month of each quarter. This way, each unit is interviewed only four times a year instead of every month reducing the burden of the informants and distributing the monthly workload of INE provincial offices. At the end of the quarter data collected over the 3 months are aggregated to assess both costs and hours per employee and month during the reference quarter .
Stratification
1. The stratification criterion is accomplished attending to three variables: Autonomous Community (17 regions), the economic activity (division level of NACE rev.2, from B to S) and eight size intervals. The size of the unit is the number of employees in it.
The following groups are considered for the stratification:
1. 1-4 employees
2. 5-9 employees
3. 10-19 employees
4. 20-49 employees
5. 50-99 employees
6. 100-199 employees
7. 200-499 employees
8. 500 and more employees
The stratum eighth is treated exhaustively, all units are selected.
Within each of the other strata, the units are selected through systematic sampling with random start.
Other sources
Maintenance agency
Not applicable
Updating frequency
Not applicable
Rules for clearance (of outdated information)
Not applicable
Voluntary/compulsory reporting and sanctions
Not applicable
Remarks
3.2. Frequency of data collection
Reference dates
1. The QLCS is conducted quarterly. The reference period for the information requested in the questionnaire is the last day of the month. However, the reference for the results is the quarter. The sample is distributed among the months of the quarter and the estimates are calculated as the average of the whole quarter.
2. Administrative data for section O and P are monthly and quarterly averages are obtained.
3.3. Data collection
Brief description of the data collection method(s)
Remarks
The survey is carried out by postal questionnaire, web questionnaire, etc. The main method used by respondents is the Web-based questionnaire. The enterprise receives a letter the first time that it is interviewed with the username and the password to access to the web site. After that, en it could fill in the questionnaire directly field by field or upload an XML file. There is a minimal validation process to consider the questionnaire sent and the process ended. The following times INE sends an email to the respondent reminding the contacts and the survey to be filled.
There is a free telephone number in the letter to contact with INE where the respondents could ask any doubts and also request an excel questionnaire and an email address to send it.
The sample is composed of around 28.000 units that will be interviewed each quarter.The sample is distributed in three monthly sub-samples during the quarter, such that the first sub-sample is always interviewed in the first month of each quarter, the second sub-sample is interviewed in the second month of each quarter and the third sub-sample in the last month of each quarter. This way, each unit is interviewed for only four times a year instead of every month reducing the burden for the informants and distributing the monthly workload of INE provincial offices. At the end of the quarter data collected over the 3 months are aggregated to assess the results for the reference quarter.
No remarks
3.4. Data validation
The process of carrying out the statistics has established controls to detect and correct errors in order to ensure quality since the beginning of the process. The collection, recording and validation phases are key development stages of any statistical research. The collection of questionnaires and the recording thereof are carried out in the provincial offices of the INE . Before processing the information, a comprehensive control over the data provided by the reporting units is carried out. The received data are double-inspected:
A first debugging, is made simultaneously with the recording in the provincial offices to detect incomplete and erroneous questionnaires and ensure the consistency of the recorded data.
A second control is made in the central office in order to avoid inconsistencies between related variables and time-series combined.
In any case, if something wrong or inconsistent is found, the responsible provincial office contact the informant by phone, to clarify information . Overall debugging focuses on the following aspects:
Detect incomplete questionnaires: partial non-response is not allowed.
Ensure consistency of data: The data must respect the legal limits in terms of working hours, minimum wages, etc.
Ensure temporal coherence of the main variables: The aim is to identify possible errors in the data by comparing the evolution of the main variables in previous quarters.
3.5. Data compilation
Brief description of the weighting method
Weighting dimensions
The estimators used are separate ratio estimators. The auxiliary variable is the number of employees in the Register of Accounts of Social Security Contributions. A detailed description is included in the annex.
Region, category size (number of employees) and economic activity
See information on seasonal adjustment in point 6.4.
4.1. Quality assurance
Quality assurance framework for the INE statistics is based on the ESSCoP, the European Statistics Code of Practice made by EUROSTAT. The ESSCoP is made up of 15 principles, gathered in three areas: Institutional Environment, Processes and Products. Each principle is associated with some indicators which make possible to measure it. In order to evaluate quality, EUROSTAT provides different tools: the indicators mentioned above, Self-assessment based on the DESAP model, peer review, user satisfaction surveys and other proceedings for evaluation.
The compilation process of the statistics has established controls for detecting and correcting errors, for the purpose of guaranteeing the quality thereof from the beginning of the process onward. The collection, recording and filtering processes of the information are fundamental stages in the development of any statistical research. The collection of questionnaires and the recording thereof are carried out in the Provincial Delegations of the INE.
Prior to processing the information, a comprehensive control of the data provided by the respondent units is performed, in order to ensure the validity thereof.
The received data are subject to a dual control:
A first filtering, simultaneous to the recording, is performed in the provincial delegations, and has the objective of detecting incomplete and erroneous questionnaires, as well as guaranteeing the coherence of the recorded data.
A second control is carried out in the central services with the purpose of avoiding inconsistencies between related variables. Inconsistencies may arise both between different variables at the same moment of time or in the evolution of a single variable (unexpected changes with respect to recent quarters). Macrofiltering based on already elevated data is also used.
In any case, if any erroneous or inconsistent items of data were detected, the provincial delegation responsible for the questionnaire would establish telephone contact with the respondent in order to clarify the information.
In general terms, the filtering is focused on the following aspects:
Detecting incomplete questionnaires: partial non-response is not allowed.
Guaranteeing the coherence of the data: The data must respect the legal limits established with regard to working day, minimum wage, etc. On the other hand, the questionnaire is divided into 5 well-differentiated, but closely inter-related blocks, among which there must be certain coherence.
Guaranteeing the time coherence of the main study variables. The objective is to detect possible errors in the data, via a comparison of the main variables, with regard to the same variables in prior quarters.
4.2. Quality management - assessment
Not applicable.
5.1. Relevance - User Needs
Description of users and their main needs
Remarks
The main users could be classified in the following groups:
International Organisations: European Union Institutions, OECD, International Monetary Fund, International Labour Organisation, etc.
Public Organisms: different Ministries such as the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Labor, Migration and Social Security, etc.; the National Statistical Institute itself for third units, such as National Accounts; the Bank of Spain; Regional
Institutions, etc.
Social Institutions such as trade unions, employers’ organisations, political parties,...
Research Centres and Universities
The media
Each of these users have different needs depending on the destination and usefulness of the information they need.
5.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Extent to which the needs of national users are satisfied (voluntary)
Remarks
The INE has carried out general user satisfaction surveys in 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019 and it plans to continue doing so every three years. The purpose of these surveys is to find out what users think about the quality of the information of the INE statistics and the extent to which their needs of information are covered. Additional surveys are carried out in order to better acknowledge other fields such as dissemination of the information, quality of some publications...
The user satisfaction survey, which can be consulted on the INE website (see Methods and Projects / Quality and Code of Practice / INE quality management / User surveys are available surveys conducted to date or click INE - MetodologiaYEstandares - User surveys ), includes the evaluation of "labor market" group in which this statistical operation is framed. The survey provide indications of user opinions about this statistical operation.
Users seem to be generally satisfied. Nevertheless, they consider that the survey should have a bigger sample size so as to offer more detailed breakdown of some variables (in particular regions, branch of activity and cost components).
In May 2022 a document was published regarding the ‘Follow-up of the suggestions for improvement from the 2019 ESU’ All these publications are available on the INE website. One of the improvement actions proposed by INE and derived from the Peer Review 2021- 2023 process is improvement action 16 aimed at users providing information on their information needs and subsequently analysing the results for the development of improvement action plans. With this objective, several sub-actions will be carried out (identification of user groups and the design of a User Survey and a Survey with a Q4 2025 deadline).
5.3. Completeness
Description of missing variables and missing breakdowns of the variables
Report progress on the implementation measures regarding quarterly job vacancies statistics of Regulation (EC) No 453/2008, including :
a detailed plan and timetable for completing implementation
a summary of the remaining deviations from EU concepts
There are not missing variables.
There are not breakdowns by occupation or region (this last because of the inclusion of NACE O - Public Administration).
The statistic conforms to the Regulation (EC) No 453/2008:
It gives information about occupied posts and job vacancies of units with 1 or more employees
It gives information about all the NACE Rev.2 sections except activities of households as employers, activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies and agriculture, forestry and fishing.
The definitions of the Regulation of occupied post an job vacancy are used.
5.3.1. Data completeness - rate
R1=100%.
6.1. Accuracy - overall
The sample design tries to minimise the sampling errors, and the different survey processes are aimed at eliminating, or reducing as much as possible, the errors thereof, both in the collection phase (response rate and filtering control) and in the subsequent editing and imputation phases.
6.2. Sampling error
See below.
6.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Coefficient of variation (taking into account the sampling design) or estimated sampling error for the number of job vacancies (see guidelines).
The calculation of the coefficients of variation of key variables is performed in each survey implementation and disseminated in the publication of their results and the successive quality reports. Most units have responded 0 vacancies so sampling errors are high.
Information on variables with non-negligible measurement and processing errors
Information on main sources of (non-negligible) measurement and processing errors and, if available, on methods applied for correction
Estimation bias: An assessment of the non-sampling errors, in terms of the absolute number of vacant posts,for the total number of job vacancies and, where possible, for aggregation level of NACE Rev. 2 specified in Annex 1 to this Regulation and size classes (1-9, 10 + employees).
Remarks
Job vacancies
The job vacancy variable has a great variability. The percentage of questionnaires with job vacancies greater than 0 over the total sample is small. When the number of job vacancies is anomalous in a questionnaire, there are great fluctuations in the evolution of job vacancy estimation.
The job vacancy question is very complex for the units within NACE O (Public Administration), because the number of job vacancies is known for the whole organization and it is difficult to separate them into the differerent units the questionnaires ask for, and because it is difficult to know if 'active steps to find a suitable candidate' have been carried out for not occupied posts.
Methods applied for correction:
Data validation: if there is any mistake or atypical value, the informant is contacted to confirm the validity of the data, its justification and, if necessary, the provision of the figure that would replace the erroneous one.
Quality control on the job vacancy variable.
Imputation of job vacancy variable in questionnaires with unusual data .
Not available
No remarks
6.3.1. Coverage error
Description of any difference between the reference population and the study population
Description of classification errors
Description of any difference between the reference dates and the reference quarter
Any other relevant information
The frame used for selecting the sample in the QLCS is incomplete because it does not include the civil servants not in Social Security. It is necessary to add estimations of occupied posts for sections O and P of NACE Rev.2 using the information of the total number of civil servants not in Social Security given by the Civil Servants Mutualities and the register of the Ministry of Finance and Public Administration for getting information of employees and salaries in the state public sector.
There can be errors in NACE and size category owing to the frames used.
In the QLCS, the reference period for the information requested in the questionnaire is a month, the last day of the reference month for job vacancies. However, the reference period for the results is the quarter. The sample is distributed among the months of the quarter and the estimates are calculated as the average of the whole quarter.
Administrative data for section O and P are monthly and quarterly averages are obtained.
No
6.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Data collection for 2024 showed that 1.4% in average of the units were inactive or closed . Only 0.3% were erroneously included units. All these units are replaced by others that belong to the same stratum in the next quarter survey. A 1.3% showed no activity during the month surveyed but remained in the sample since they can be units with seasonal activities.
6.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
6.3.2. Measurement error
See 6.3 non-sampling error.
6.3.3. Non response error
See next points.
6.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Unit response rate: The average non-response for year 2024 has been 11.6%.
6.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Item non-response is not allowed by the collect procedure.
6.3.4. Processing error
See 6.3 non-sampling error.
6.3.4.1. Imputation - rate
Item imputation rate and methods and, where possible, the effect of imputation on the estimates for the variables transmitted
There are two kind of questionnaires imputed in the QLCS (see metadata for LCI). When a questionnaire is imputed, the method used to impute vacancies is the average data for the same stratum. The average imputation rate for year 2024 has been 5.7%
6.3.5. Model assumption error
If modelling is used, include a description of the models used. Particular emphasis should be given to models for imputation or grossing-up to correct for unit non-response.
Not applicable
6.4. Seasonal adjustment
Brief description of seasonal adjustment procedures, in particular with regard to the European Statistical System guidelines on seasonal adjustment which have been endorsed and supported by the SPC.
The seasonal adjustment of these data has been studied according to standard of INE to correct for seasonal and calendar effects in short-term series that is available in the methods and standards of the INE website section. This standard is the result of the working group of the INE Seasonal adjustment and follows the recommendations of the European Union listed in ESS guidelines on seasonal adjustment.
The method is based on ARIMA models with the intervention of variables using TRAMO SEATS by JDemetra + program. The models are fixed and revised each year before sending the first quarter. The parameters are adjusted each quarter. The series without seaonal behavior are not adjusted and the adjusted series are the rough series. The method used to obtain the adjusted series for totals and aggregates is the indirect approach.
Combined seasonality test show that most of the job vacancies series and some of the occupied posts series do not present identifiable seasonality.
The overall quality of the modelling [from JD+ diagnostics] for most series are good.
Advance notice of major changes in methodology expected to take place during a particular year is given in the annual publication " Programa Anual del Instituto Nacional de Estadística" (in Spanish), which is published in the last quarter of the previous year.
National data on job vacancies are published according with the calendar publication of the QLCS (INE calen_en) and they are final data.
However, the data sent to Eurostat in t+70 days are provisional data. The introduction of one revision has been necessary because the first calculation of job vacancy data is based on provisional data from the QLCS. The checking, validation and debugging processes have not finished and those questionnaires with "rare responses" pending the confirmation from the enterprises are imputed.
80 days after the reference period the QLCS is published and job vancacy data recalculated with their final data producing the revision of the data. This revision is sent with the provisional data of next quarter. So, there is only one revision for each quarter.
6.6. Data revision - practice
Provide a revision history, including the revisions in the published number of job vacancies and a summary of the reasons for the revisions.
INE started to produce job vacancies data for the second quarter of 2013. Once the third quarter data were available the data for the first quarter were estimated. There is one revision of the data since the results of the 3rd quarter of 2013
The introduction of one revision has been necessary because the first calculation of Job vacancy data is based on provisional data from the QLCS. The checking, validation and debugging processes have not finished and those questionnaires with "rare responses" pending the confirmation from the enterprises are imputed.
80 days after the reference period the QLCS is published and the Job vacancy data recalculated with their final data producing the revision of the data. This revision is sent with the provisional data of next quarter. So, there is only one revision for each quarter.
Moreover, as mentioned in point 2.1 above, since 2021, the only source of information for vacancies data is the Quarterly Labour Cost Survey (QLCS) and for occupied posts data, sections O and P are completed with administrative data in order to include all employees in these activities. The time series of vacancies sections O and P and BTS, has been revised from the data submission of the first quarter of 2021. Revisions have been made for the period from the first quarter of 2013 onwards.
Deadlines for the respondents to reply, also covering recalls and follow-ups
Period of the fieldwork
Period of data processing
Dates of publication of first results
Remarks
The units in the sample of the QLCS fill in the whole survey questionnaire once each quarter. This sample is distributed in three monthly sub-samples along the quarter (S1, S2, S3), in such a way that the first sub-sample (S1) will be interviewed every first month (M1) in each quarter (Q), the second sub-sample (S2) will be interviewed every second month (M2) in each quarter (Q) and the third sub-sample (S3) every last month (M3) in each quarter (Q). This way each sub-sample is interviewed four times per year.
Around the 20th of each month, the monthly sub-sample is updated by replacing the closed units detected in the previous quarter. The questionnaires are sent to the respondents during the last week of each month. Each unit receives a questionnaire once a quarter. The survey is carried out by postal questionnaire, web questionnaire, etc. The main method used by respondents is the Web-based questionnaire. The enterprise receives a letter the first time that it is interviewed with the username and the password to access to the web site and then it could fill in the questionnaire directly field by field or upload the XML file. There is a minimal validation process to consider the questionnaire sent and the process ended. The following times INE sends an email to the respondent reminding the contacts and the survey to be filled. There is a free telephone number in the letter to contact with INE where the respondents could ask all their doubts and also request an excel questionnaire and email address to send it.
The informants have a period of 15 days to reply. The province offices are in charge of claiming of the questionnaires, collecting, recording and editing the information continuously along the quarter. The central office receives the monthly data collected around the 15th of two months later of the reference month. This way, S1 is collected during M2 and M3 of the quarter Q and sent to the central office around the 15th of M3 of Q; S2 is collected during M3 of quarter Q and M1 of quarter Q+1 and sent to the central office around the 15th of M1 of Q+1 ; and S3 is collected during M1 and M2 of Q+1 and sent to the central office around the 15th of M2 of Q+1. There is a final sending of delayed questionnaires to the central office around the 30th of M2 of Q+1.
The period of fieldwork is about three months
The period of processing, calculation of the grossing-up factors and final editing of the results goes from the end of M2 of Q+1 until the immediate days before publishing.
Provisional national data are sent to Eurostat, 45 days after the end of the reference quarter. Afterwards, the breakdowns by sections of economic activities of NACE Rev.2 are sent to Eurostat,70 days after the end of the reference quarter. The publication of final results of quarter Q, is in the second half of Q+1.
Only results from the QLCS are disseminated.
Complete results about occupied posts for section O (Public Administration) and P (Education), including civil servants not in the General Scheme of the Social Security, are sent only to Eurostat.
8.1. Comparability - geographical
Information on differences between national and European concepts, and — to the extent possible — their effects on the estimation.
At present, the national concepts are adjusted to the European concepts.
Occupied posts from units with civil servants in section O (Public Administration) and section P (Education) not included in the Social Security System are not included in national results.
8.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
8.2. Comparability - over time
Information on changes in definitions, coverage and methods in any two consecutive quarters, and their effects on the estimation.
Remarks
The main source of information for Job vacancies data has changed since the first quarter of 2013. Although there are not changes in definitions and methods, and the frame of the survey is almost the same, there are slight differences that make a break in the series from the first quarter of this year.
8.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Not applicable.
8.3. Coherence - cross domain
Comparisons of data on the number of vacant jobs from other relevant sources when available, in total and broken down by NACE at section level when relevant, and reasons if the values differ considerably.
1. The comparison of the number of employees in the LFS with the number of occupied posts in the JVS is based on 2024-averages. Persons in the LFS having two jobs within the scope (employees in NACE rev. 2 sections B to S) are counted twice. Persons having two jobs, where only one is within the scope are counted once. In the case of Spain, the overall levels are quite well aligned, but sections B, C, D, H, J, K and R show deviations larger than +20%. These differences can be explained by the differences in surveys, with a different frame, a different sample design, etc. The LFS is a household survey, the person, being interviewed, states the economic activity of the unit where works. However, in the QLCS, the frame (obtained from the Social Security Register) includes the economic activity of the unit and this variable is used as stratification variable. In the LFS, the status of employee or self-employed is established by the person reporting in the household and in the case of the self-employed working for a single client may be self-classified as an employee. Moreover, in the LFS, the employee can have or not a contract under the Social Security System; but in the QLCS only employees in the legal system are included.
2. Regarding the Beveridge Curve, the data show a nice match of the rates leading to a negative movement along the curve until the break in the JVR (2013Q1). During the following quarters of 2013 there was no clear trend. It seems that these "strange movements" in the curve were due to the change in the business cycle resulting in a shift in the curve.
The employment has not increased until 2014Q2. From 2014Q4, the curve has turned to a negative slope again until 2019Q4 although the slope is much lower than in the period 2010-2013. The curve has turned again in Q12020 due to the impact of COVID-19. The unemployment rate has increased and the JVS rate has decreased during the year 2020 and until the second quarter of 2021. During the last two quarters of 2021 and the year 2022, the labour market has performed well, with the unemployment rate falling and the vacancy rate rising, bringing the Beveridge curve back to a significant negative slope. However, in the quarters of 2023 and 2024, the unemployment rate has continued to fall, but the vacancy rate has remained stable resulting in a loss of slope of the curve that becomes almost horizontal or positively sloped in the last quarter. We will have to see what happens in the following quarters to be able to draw any conclusions.
Dissemination scheme, including to whom the results are sent
Periodicity of national publication
References for publications of core results, including those with commentary in the form of text, graphs, maps, etc.
Information on what results, if any, are sent to reporting units included in the sample
QLCS data are released simultaneously to all interested parties by issuing a press release. At the same time, the data are also sent by fax to subscribers, and are posted on the INE website (INE).
Some users may receive under embargo information as specified in the Code of Practice of the European Statistics.
Quarterly
Users can access to QLCS data via the INE website. Specifically, there are the following links :
- Press Release and Main Results : A summary of the results of the reference quarter .
- Main series from quarter 1Q/2000 : The main series since the start of the survey. For Job vacancies data start at 3Q/2013.
- Quarterly Series from quarter 1Q/2008 : series in NACE- 2.
Publications "on line" contain information form QLCS as "Spain in figures ", "Statistical Yearbook of Spain" , "Monthly Statistical Bulletin", etc. .
Not applicable
9.3. Dissemination format - online database
INEbase is the system used to store and disseminate at INE Website all statistical information. It contains all the information produced by the INE in electronic format. It is organized basically following the thematic classification of the Inventory of Statistical Operations of the State General Administration. The basic unit is the statistical operation, defined as the set of activities that lead to the collection of statistics for a particular sector or theme, from data collected individually. Data from QLCS are in INEbase.
Customized information must be requested via the User Services Area, indicating the contact person’s data (name and postal address, telephone, fax or e-mail) and detailing precisely what information you are requesting. Requests will pass through a viability analysis process, programming and subsequent verification that the data obtained safeguard statistical secrecy and are representative.
Description of and references for metadata provided
References for core methodological documents relating to the statistics provided
Description of main actions carried out by the national statistical services to inform users about the data
Remarks
All the relevant methodological documents and metadata provided are in the ine website.
see annex
The statistics are prepared in accordance with EU guidelines in order to meet the Code of Practice implemented by Eurostat, following the quality criteria on relevance, accuracy, timeliness and punctuality, accessibility and clarity, comparability, consistency, and completeness (along this report).
Regulation 12/1989 of the Public Statistics states that INE can not disseminate, or make available in any way, individual or aggregate data that could lead to the identification of previously unknown information of a person or entity. Moreover, European Regulation 223/2009 on European statistics establishes the need to implement common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of the data used to produce European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the needs of users in a democratic society.
11.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Disclosure rules: Brief description of when data have to be deleted for reasons of confidentiality
The INE takes the necessary logical, physical and administrative provisions for the protection of confidential data from data collection to publication. A legal clause is included in the survey questionnaires informing about the protection of the data collected. During the stages of information processing, information allowing direct identification is only preserved while is strictly necessary to ensure the quality of processes. Direct identification data are not stored together with the own statistics, after the data collection phase. The results to be published are analysed in detail before to prevent that confidential data of the statistical units can be derived. In cases in which microdata are disseminated, they are always anonymous.
Confidential data is not published. It is aggregated with other confidential or non-confidential cells to produce a non-confidential data aggregate.
Since 2021, the only source of information for vacancies data is the Quarterly Labour Cost Survey (QLCS). For occupied posts data, sections O and P are completed with administrative data in order to include all employees in these activities. There are of two different social security systems in public administration in Spain:
The first group comes under the Social Security General Scheme and is subject to the general rules of employment law, just like all other employees in other NACE sections included in QLCS.
The other group comes under the Special Scheme for civil and military public servants. Career civil servants in Central Government, armed forces personnel and justice and Parliament officials come under the State Employee Pension Scheme, whereby the State assures them protection against the risks of old age, disability, death and survival. For healthcare, temporary disability benefits, etc., such employees are covered by public-employee mutual societies. This group is not covered by the Social Security General Scheme and therefore is out of the scope of the QLCS. However, from 1 January 2011, all new civil servants are registered in the General Social Security Scheme being included in the QLCS coverage. The second system is now a closed system with the number of members decreasing as they retire.
The time series of vacancies has been revised from the data submission of the first quarter of 2021. Revisions have been made for the period from the first quarter of 2013 onwards.
Not Applicable
A 'job vacancy' is defined as a paid post that is newly created, unoccupied, or about to become vacant:
for which the employer is taking active steps and is prepared to take further steps to find a suitable candidate from outside the enterprise concerned; and
which the employer intends to fill either immediately or within a specific period of time.
‘Active steps to find a suitable candidate’ include:
notifying the job vacancy to the public employment services,
contacting a private employment agency/head hunters,
advertising the vacancy in the media (for example internet, newspapers, magazines),
advertising the vacancy on a public notice board,
approaching, interviewing or selecting possible candidates/potential recruits directly,
approaching employees and/or personal contacts,
using internships.
'Specific period of time’ refers to the maximum time the vacancy is open and intended to be filled. That period shall be unlimited; all vacancies for which active steps are continuing on the reference date shall be reported.
An 'occupied post’ means a paid post within the organisation to which an employee has been assigned.
The unit used in the Quarterly Labour Cost Survey is the "account of contributions". It is an administrative concept that companies use to pay the social contributions of their employees and usually coincide with the local unit.
For NACE section O and P: contribution account of the General Scheme of the Social Security or ‘ministry or autonomous organization crossed with kind of staff’ for civil servants not in Social Security.
Enterprises with one and more employees.
The geographic area includes the whole national territory (including Canary Island, Balearic Island and Ceuta and Melilla).
Not Applicable
The sample design tries to minimise the sampling errors, and the different survey processes are aimed at eliminating, or reducing as much as possible, the errors thereof, both in the collection phase (response rate and filtering control) and in the subsequent editing and imputation phases.
Not Applicable
Brief description of the weighting method
Weighting dimensions
The estimators used are separate ratio estimators. The auxiliary variable is the number of employees in the Register of Accounts of Social Security Contributions. A detailed description is included in the annex.
Region, category size (number of employees) and economic activity
Until the fourth quarter of 2012 this statistic was produced by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy from:
Short-Term Labour Survey (Encuesta de Coyuntura Laboral - ECL). Quarterly sample survey of locals units.
A job vacancy special questionnaire directed at units with economic activity: Public Administration (NACE O)
Since 2013, the sources of information for job vacancies are:
A section about job vacancies included in the Quarterly Labour Cost Survey (QLCS) that is elaborated by the Labour Market Statistics Directorate at National Statistical Institute. This survey is also used to produce the Labour Cost Index sent to Eurostat.
Sections O and P are completed with administrative data in order to include all employees in these activities.
Coverage
Geographical
All the country
NACE
All NACE sections except A, T and U
Enterprise size
1 or more employees
Definition of the statistical unit
NACE sections B-N and P-S: contribution account of the General Scheme of the Social Security (group of workers of a company with the same characteristic in the payment contribution to Social Security and with economic activity in the same province). Usually it matches up with workplace.
NACE section O and P: contribution account of the General Scheme of the Social Security or ‘ministry or autonomous organization crossed with kind of staff’ for civil servants not in Social Security.
Remarks
Sampling design
Base used for the sample
The framework used for the selection was the General Register of Accounts of Social Security Contributions, held by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy.
For civil servants not in Social Security other frame is compiled with the information of a register of the Ministry of Finance and Public Administration for getting information of salaries in the state public sector.
Sampling design
The procedure for random selection of units corresponds to stratified sampling with optimal allocation, in which the sampling units are the accounts.
Sections O and P are completed with administrative data from a register of the Ministry of Finance and Public Administration
Retention/renewal of sampling units
Annual renewal or rotation of the sample In the Quaterly Labour Cost Survey, the total sample is divided into five rotation groups, in such a way that, in the first quarter of every year, the oldest group is replaced, which entails an annual renewal of 20% of the sample. This method guarantees companies that, at most, they will participate in the survey for 5 years. An exception must be made of the comprehensive units (units with more than 500 workers, and those belonging to strata that are so small that their sample size necessarily coincides with the population size), which due to their comprehensive nature, do not lead to any renewal, and with the exception of closure, must remain in the sample continuously. These units account for 28% of the sample.
Sample size
The sample is composed of around 28.000 units that will be interviewed each quarter.The sample is distributed in three monthly sub-samples such that the first sub-sample is always interviewed in the first month of each quarter, the second sub-sample is interviewed in the second month of each quarter and the third in the last month of each quarter. This way, each unit is interviewed only four times a year instead of every month reducing the burden of the informants and distributing the monthly workload of INE provincial offices. At the end of the quarter data collected over the 3 months are aggregated to assess both costs and hours per employee and month during the reference quarter .
Stratification
1. The stratification criterion is accomplished attending to three variables: Autonomous Community (17 regions), the economic activity (division level of NACE rev.2, from B to S) and eight size intervals. The size of the unit is the number of employees in it.
The following groups are considered for the stratification:
1. 1-4 employees
2. 5-9 employees
3. 10-19 employees
4. 20-49 employees
5. 50-99 employees
6. 100-199 employees
7. 200-499 employees
8. 500 and more employees
The stratum eighth is treated exhaustively, all units are selected.
Within each of the other strata, the units are selected through systematic sampling with random start.
Other sources
Maintenance agency
Not applicable
Updating frequency
Not applicable
Rules for clearance (of outdated information)
Not applicable
Voluntary/compulsory reporting and sanctions
Not applicable
Remarks
Not Applicable
See below.
Information on differences between national and European concepts, and — to the extent possible — their effects on the estimation.
At present, the national concepts are adjusted to the European concepts.
Occupied posts from units with civil servants in section O (Public Administration) and section P (Education) not included in the Social Security System are not included in national results.
Information on changes in definitions, coverage and methods in any two consecutive quarters, and their effects on the estimation.
Remarks
The main source of information for Job vacancies data has changed since the first quarter of 2013. Although there are not changes in definitions and methods, and the frame of the survey is almost the same, there are slight differences that make a break in the series from the first quarter of this year.
