So far this year, 134,034 jobs have been lost in private companies, while the public sector eliminated 22,681 jobs between January and July.

Industry, construction, and commerce were the sectors with the highest job losses, SIPA reports.

As formal employment declines, the number of workers registered under the *monotributo* (simplified tax regime for small taxpayers) is rising; official data show that 58,778 self-employed workers registered under this system over the past year (+2.7%), with 1,432 new registrations in July alone.

Year-on-year, the manufacturing industry recorded a 4.4 percent contraction in employment, while financial intermediation fell by 4.8 percent and commerce declined by 3.4 percent. Transport and communications showed a 2.4 percent decrease.

The loss of jobs is also being felt in the provinces. In a year-on-year comparison ending in July, 21 of the 24 jurisdictions recorded declines in private-sector salaried employment.

The sharpest contractions were observed in Tierra del Fuego (-12.6%), Misiones (-6%), Corrientes (-5.6%), Formosa (-5.2%), and Santa Cruz (-4.9%).

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