In this paper we analyze quantitatively the importance for Spanish unemployment in the period 1980-1995 of the increase in the female labor force the rapid destruction of agricultural employment the return of immigrants and the high fraction of unemployed individuals who are long-term unemployed. The increase in the female labor force the decrease in agricultural employment and long term unemployment have a significant effect on the unemployment rate and so the impact of the return of the immigrants in the last part of the 1970s. We study whether family support and level of education affect the rate of long term unemployment and we find little support for this conjecture.

Financial support by the Spanish DGICYT research project PB92-0342.