To solve the problem of labor shortages in some industries, primarily tourism and construction, Spain plans to ease the rules for issuing work permits to foreigners. This was stated by the Minister of Social Security and Migration, Jose Luis Escriva.
According to the minister, the government intends to issue more temporary visas for sectors that need workers: “We are evaluating various issues of migration legislation and looking for opportunities to improve it to eliminate bottlenecks in the Spanish labor market.”
At the moment, a particularly critical situation has developed in the field of tourism, agriculture, construction, and technology.
The government plans to allow approximately 50,000 students from non-EU countries to combine study with work. It will also make it easier to obtain a work permit for those who can prove family ties with Spain, residence in the country, or at least two years of work experience, even if it was unofficial. The draft reform lists the most relevant vacancies for marketers, sales representatives, delivery drivers, and software developers.
Spain’s tourism industry is booming and companies in the industry are struggling to find workers for restaurants and hotel room cleaning. The government described the current situation as a pan-European problem. There are fears that a shortage of staff could even prevent Spain from implementing European Union-funded pandemic relief projects.
The Spanish economy has been the most affected by the pandemic of all states in the Eurozone, declining by 11 percent in 2020.