Spain's Programming Jobs Hit Record High Despite AI Fears

A record with caveats

The swing is sharp. In the first quarter, programming and consultancy lost 23,400 workers, according to BBVA Research. In the third, they added 31,200 (5.85%). The sector began 2026 with 39,400 fewer employed in the EPA, recovered almost all of that in spring, and the third quarter is the first of the year with year-on-year growth.

The bar was low, though: summer 2025 was weak for job creation. The 2026 average stands at 668,600 workers, 2.8% below 2025, or 19,200 fewer on average. For that reason the figures cannot be used as proof for or against AI's impact.

Sources also diverge. Social Security affiliation showed a 3.48% rise in tech activities in spring, while the EPA reported losses. BBVA Research and Fedea concluded in September that since 2022 employment has grown more in occupations with medium-high and high AI exposure than elsewhere, decoupling exposure from job destruction.

The entry door under suspicion

The clearest signal is at entry level. Mobile World Capital's first digital talent report estimated that junior demand fell 25.2% between 2024 and 2025, while senior demand rose 15.4%. That measures job postings, not employed people, so it can coexist with the EPA record.

Rafael Doménech of BBVA Research describes "a reallocation of tasks, salaries and entry opportunities". The data may reflect a shift within the sector: AI demanding more experienced profiles for supervision and implementation consulting, while narrowing the share of jobs open to newcomers.