The resilience of the self-employed: the Covid year ends with only 13 casualties

The province of Castellón closed the financial year 2020 with a total of 40,858 self-employed workers, a figure that shows a negative balance of only 13 self-employed workers compared to the 40,871 that existed at the end of 2019, according to the balance published by the National Federation of Self-Employed Workers Associations (ATA).

The Resilience of the self-employed is not exclusive to Castellón. All the provinces of the Valencian Community and the national average closed 2020 maintaining the volume of self-employed professionals than in the previous year.

At the end of last year, in the Valencian Community There are 354,071 self-employed workers compared to the 352,151 at the end of 2019, which represents a 0.5% increase in the percentage rate that translates into an increase in absolute numbers of 1,919 more self-employed workers.

Alicante has been the province of the Community where the volume of self-employed has grown the most, with a total of 134,260, that is, 1,554 more than a year before, which represents a year-on-year increase 1.2%. For its part, in the province of Valencia the volume of self-employed workers reached 178,953 people, 0.2% more than in 2019, with a positive balance of 378 new professionals, according to ATA statistics.

Also in the set of National territory The volume of self-employed workers is maintained, with 3,271,408 self-employed, 2,320 more than in 2019, that is, a 0.1% increase despite the Covid.

He increase of contributors to the self-employed scheme occurs while the total membership of the system is also increasing. In this sense, it should be remembered that the province of Castellón dismissed the year of Covid with a total of 244,683 workers affiliated with Social Security, which represents 1.1% more than 12 months before and an increase in absolute terms of 2,657 contributors, reports the Ministry of Inclusion and Social Security.

By sectors

The data from employment evolution Autonomous professionals show how these professionals appear to be resilient by nature. Despite the strength of the professionals, there are economic sectors in which the year-on-year balance has been negative despite the total average closing positive.

Industry, commerce, hospitality and artistic activities and entertainment are the economic sectors that have closed in negative 2020 in the province of Castellón.

Industry has been the activity that has registered the greatest decline, despite the fact that the ceramic cloister it maintains exports despite the pandemic. Industry closed 2020 with 2,903 freelancers in the province, 141 less than a year ago, representing a drop of 4.6%.

For his part, Commerce It has 128 fewer professionals (-1.2%) at the end of 2020 to a total of 10,310, being the activity with the highest volume of self-employed professionals in Castellón.

Autonomous also lose the hostelería (-55 with a decrease of 1.2%) and the arts and entertainment sector (-13 with a fall of 1.7%).

By contrast, the transport It is the one with the most self-employed workers in 2020, with 3.5% more than in 2019 and a positive balance of 83 professionals.