Spain's Worker Shortage
Which sectors are short of workers, why employers are asking for more immigration, and the government routes that let non-EU talent fill the gap.
Overview
Spain's population is ageing and several sectors can no longer recruit enough workers locally. Business groups have started asking the government — out loud — for a managed immigration plan to fill the gap. For a non-EU jobseeker, that shift in tone matters: it widens the set of employers open to sponsoring international hires.
This guide maps where the shortages are and which government routes connect foreign workers to those jobs. For the legal detail of each visa, see the Spain visa guide; for the official shortage list, see the shortage occupation guide.
The retail wake-up call
In August 2025, ANGED — the association of large-format retailers whose members include El Corte Inglés, Carrefour, Ikea, Alcampo, Eroski and Leroy Merlin — publicly urged the government to launch an immigration plan to cover roughly 16,000 open positions.
What ANGED reported
- Eight in ten member companies face staffing shortfalls
- Gaps span basic store operations and fresh-food sections
- ...but also technical roles in IT, logistics, omnichannel and sustainability
- The group called for both a coordinated immigration policy and stronger vocational training
Source: reporting in elEconomista, August 2025.
Which sectors are short
Shortages are concentrated rather than universal. These are the areas where employers are most likely to look beyond the local labour market — and therefore most likely to sponsor.
| Sector | Where the demand is |
|---|---|
| Hospitality & tourism | Hotels, restaurants, bars — seasonal and year-round across the coasts and islands |
| Logistics & warehousing | Driven by e-commerce growth and omnichannel retail |
| Retail / distribution | Store roles plus technical IT, logistics and sustainability jobs |
| Construction & trades | Electrical installation, carpentry and crane operation (some on the shortage list) |
| Healthcare | Persistent shortages of nurses and specialist doctors in many regions |
| Tech & data | Software, data and omnichannel roles — best served by the highly-qualified route |
How Spain fills the gap
Three government mechanisms channel foreign workers into these jobs, each suited to a different profile.
1. The shortage occupation list
The quarterly Catálogo de Ocupaciones de Difícil Cobertura lets employers sponsor listed roles (currently maritime crews, sport and certain trades) without the labour-market test.
2. Highly Qualified & Startups-Law fast track
The Unit for Large Companies and Strategic Groups (UGE-CE) fast-tracks highly qualified professionals, intra-company transfers, researchers and international teleworkers — typically in around 20 business days. Startups certified under Spain's Startups Law (Law 28/2022) get accelerated processing for these hires. This is the route most relevant to tech and professional workers; see our startup sponsorship guide.
3. GECCO (hiring in origin)
For seasonal and circular work, the GECCO order (Orden ISM/1547/2025 for 2026) lets employers recruit groups of workers directly from their home countries. Circular-migration programmes brought in 25,767 seasonal workers from 17 countries in 2025.
The 2025 immigration reform
The reform of the Immigration Regulation (Reglamento de Extranjería, Royal Decree 1155/2024) took effect on 20 May 2025 and made several routes more accessible:
Key changes
- Initial non-EU work permits now last one year, with renewals up to four years
- A clearer path to long-term residence after five years
- The residence requirement for arraigo (roots-based regularisation) dropped from three years to two
- A new job-search visa for people trained in high-demand sectors such as tech, health and education
- Updated thresholds for the Digital Nomad Visa and EU Blue Card
Sources: La Moncloa / Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration; BOE.
What it means for you
A more open policy environment doesn't change the basic requirement: you still need an employer willing to sponsor your work authorisation. What it does change is the odds — more employers in more sectors are now actively looking abroad, and several of the slowest steps have been removed for shortage and highly-qualified roles.
The practical move is to target employers who already sponsor. Browse visa-sponsored roles on SpainJobs.io, and read how to find visa-sponsoring employers for the interview and search strategy.
A note on accuracy
Figures and rules here reflect public reporting and official sources as of June 2026. Immigration policy changes often — verify with official sources before acting.
FAQ
Is there really a worker shortage in Spain?
Yes, in specific sectors. Employers' associations have publicly asked the government for a managed immigration plan to fill vacancies they can't cover locally. In August 2025, ANGED — the large-format retail association whose members include El Corte Inglés, Carrefour, Ikea, Alcampo and Leroy Merlin — said eight in ten of its companies face staffing gaps and pointed to around 16,000 open positions, from store roles to technical jobs in IT, logistics and omnichannel.
Which sectors are short of workers?
The clearest gaps are in hospitality and tourism, logistics and warehousing, retail, construction and skilled trades, healthcare, and parts of tech (IT, data, omnichannel). Some maritime and trade occupations are formally recognised on Spain's quarterly shortage occupation list.
How can a non-EU worker take advantage of this?
Through an employer who is willing to sponsor a work authorisation. The fastest routes are: a role on the shortage occupation list (no labour-market test), the Highly Qualified Professional authorisation or EU Blue Card for qualified roles, and — for seasonal work — the GECCO origin-country hiring programmes.
What is GECCO?
GECCO (gestión colectiva de contrataciones en origen) is Spain's framework for hiring workers directly from their countries of origin, mostly for seasonal and circular migration. The 2026 order (Orden ISM/1547/2025) continues stable and circular hiring models. In 2025, circular-migration programmes brought in 25,767 seasonal workers from 17 countries, about 25% more than in 2024.
Did the 2025 immigration reform make it easier?
The reform of the Immigration Regulation (Royal Decree 1155/2024), in force since 20 May 2025, streamlined several routes: initial non-EU work permits now run for one year with renewals up to four years, the residence requirement for arraigo dropped from three years to two, and a new job-search visa was added for people trained in high-demand sectors such as tech, health and education.
More Guides
Shortage Occupation List
Spain's Catálogo de Difícil Cobertura and the simplified sponsorship it unlocks.
Visa Guide
Work visas, digital nomad visa, and residency permits.
Visa Sponsorship
How to find employers who will sponsor your work visa.
Non-EU Sponsorship for Startups
Employer playbook for sponsoring non-EU hires in Spain.
Find an employer who sponsors
Explore roles from companies hiring international talent in Spain right now.