By the end of September 2026, 156,451 self-employed workers were registered in Alicante province. Their number rose by 7,489 over the year, an increase of 5%. This was more than twice the national growth rate of 2.2%. Alicante also outpaced the other two provinces in the Valencian Community: Valencia (+4.1%) and Castellón (+3%).
The Ministry of Labour figures count workers registered with the Social Security system under self-employment. They include individual business owners as well as certain other categories of contributors.
Which activities saw the fastest growth
The largest increase was in the “other services” category, which includes businesses such as hair salons, gyms, dry cleaners and tattoo studios. The category had 13,869 self-employed workers, up by 3,419 from a year earlier.
The number registered in real estate activities reached 7,449, an annual increase of 2,606. Professional, scientific and technical activities counted 15,005 self-employed workers, up by 1,257.
Growth was also recorded in accommodation and food services, transport and healthcare. These sectors added 438, 370 and 300 registered workers respectively over the year.
Fewer self-employed workers in retail and construction
The overall growth did not extend to two sectors traditionally associated with high numbers of self-employed workers. Construction lost 370 registrations, bringing the total to 20,992. Retail saw a decrease of 2,680, leaving 31,258 self-employed workers in the sector.
The decline in retail is linked to the closure of small independent businesses and the expansion of large chains, which are better placed to compete with online stores. However, the registration figures alone do not establish the reasons for these changes.
Self-employment accounts for a larger share of work in Alicante
Alicante province has 119 self-employed workers per 1,000 residents, compared with a national average of 109. Self-employed workers make up 19.3% of the province’s employed population, compared with 15.7% across Spain.
The overall annual increase included 4,582 more self-employed individuals and 3,948 more members of company boards who perform management duties and are registered under the relevant Social Security scheme. These category changes do not add up directly to the total increase, as registrations fell in other groups.
