Government employment figures for September 2025 have just been released, and they reveal some intriguing trends. The total number of government employees has slightly decreased, but the story behind these numbers is far from simple. Let's dive in and explore the details.
In September 2025, government employment stood at 52,530 individuals, a minor decrease of 50 employees (-0.1%) compared to the previous year. This decrease is primarily driven by declines in the Civil Service and Security Forces, which saw reductions of 1.0% and 2.4%, respectively. However, the Educational Service experienced a notable increase of 3.3%.
When we delve deeper into the data, we find that the most significant growth in government employment is among employees with contracts of definite duration, which rose by 4.8%. Conversely, the largest decrease is observed in employees with contracts of indefinite duration, who saw a decline of 2.3%. Focusing on specific services, the Educational Service stands out with a substantial 15.5% increase in employees with contracts of definite duration. On the other hand, the Security Forces experienced a dramatic 70.8% decrease in this category.
But here's where it gets controversial: the significant drop in the Security Forces is primarily attributed to the completion and non-renewal of specific contracts in July 2025. This raises questions about the stability and long-term planning of employment within this sector.
Looking at the broader picture, average government employment for the period January to September 2025 increased by 0.7% compared to the same period in 2024.
Now, let's break down the numbers by category and service:
Civil Service:
- Total: 23,098 (-1.0%)
- Permanent Employees: 11,918 (-0.7%)
- Employees with contracts of indefinite duration: 4,078 (-3.3%)
- Employees with contracts of definite duration: 1,290 (7.3%)
- Hourly Paid Workers: 5,812 (-1.6%)
Educational Service:
- Total: 15,853 (3.3%)
- Permanent Employees: 12,441 (0.7%)
- Employees with contracts of indefinite duration: 1,167 (14.3%)
- Employees with contracts of definite duration: 2,099 (15.5%)
- Hourly Paid Workers: 146 (-3.9%)
Security Forces:
- Total: 13,579 (-2.4%)
- Permanent Employees: 8,473 (1.4%)
- Employees with contracts of indefinite duration: 4,267 (-5.1%)
- Employees with contracts of definite duration: 87 (-70.8%)
- Hourly Paid Workers: 752 (-0.8%)
Total Government Employment:
- Permanent Employees: 32,832 (0.4%)
- Employees with contracts of indefinite duration: 9,512 (-2.3%)
- Employees with contracts of definite duration: 3,476 (4.8%)
- Hourly Paid Workers: 6,710 (-1.5%)
It's important to note that government employment covers the Civil Service, Educational Service, and Security Forces, including employees of ministries, departments, schools, and various other institutions. The data provided by the Treasury of the Republic refers to individuals paid in the current month, regardless of the duration of their employment.
And this is the part most people miss: as of January 2024, there was a change in the classification of permanent and casual staff, which has resulted in a break in the series. CYSTAT has adjusted the structure to categorize employees as permanent, those with contracts of indefinite or definite duration, and hourly paid workers. This means that data from previous months is not directly comparable.
So, what do you think? Are these changes in government employment a cause for concern or a natural fluctuation? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below. We'd love to hear your insights and engage in a thoughtful discussion.
