Summer jobs bring Spanish unemployment to pre-crisis levels

Official statistics show that new summer contracts have brought the number of unemployed in Spain to 3.13 million, the lowest level in nearly a decade and 2 million below peak levels during the financial crisis.

The National Statistics Institute said Thursday that 27,141 less people were out of work in July compared with June, in a season that usually sees jobs created due to demand by millions of visitors.

The institute says 19.04 million workers are contributing to Spain's social security fund, the highest rate since the global financial crisis caused a real estate meltdown in Spain and sent the economy into recession.

Spain had a record 5 million unemployed in early 2013. Critics say that job creation since then has been slow and come with low salaries.