Spain Eases Work Visa Rules to Address Skilled Labor Shortage

The Spanish government intends to relax work permit rules in order to address labor shortages in key sectors such as tourism and construction that threaten its economic recovery, the Minister of Social Security and Migration announced on Friday.

"We are evaluating different aspects of the migration law and where it is possible to improve it... in order to address bottlenecks in the Spanish labor market," he said.

According to reports from professional organizations and the consulting firm S&P Global, Spain’s tourism industry, which is in full recovery, is facing a shortage of workers.

At the same time, labor shortages have also been reported in agriculture and on construction sites, the same source notes, specifying that the service sector is reporting stronger demand in May, as companies have not been able to grow as quickly as expected due to difficulties in finding employees.

This situation is attributable to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has favored the entry of many employees into the formal economy. As a result, employment has reached a record level, causing shortages in certain regions, it is explained.