In the Balearic Islands, the anti-poverty network EAPN denounced what it calls “politically motivated directives” instructing some municipalities not to hire extra social-service workers ahead of Spain’s regularisation drive. The complaint, reported by Europa Press on 18 April, alleges that local councils fear encouraging migration flows and therefore prefer to keep capacity low. EAPN spokesperson Laura Martínez said vulnerable migrants need municipal ‘vulnerability certificates’—a prerequisite for the amnesty’s humanitarian track—but appointment slots are already fully booked until late May in Palma and Ibiza. “Without additional case-workers many applicants will simply run out of time,” she warned. The Balearic Government has formally asked town halls to clarify staffing plans and reminded them of their legal duty to issue certificates within ten working days. Failure to comply could trigger administrative sanctions under Spain’s Common Administrative Procedure Act. Tourism employers, who rely heavily on seasonal third-country nationals, worry that understaffed municipal offices will slow hiring just as the summer season ramps up. Some hotel groups are offering to fund temporary social-worker posts—a solution similar to public-private partnerships used during the 2020 residency backlog. The incident highlights how local politics can directly impact global-mobility timelines. Companies relocating staff to Spain’s island regions should budget extra time for municipal paperwork and monitor EAPN’s weekly ‘bureaucracy barometer’ for appointment availability.
Source: Europa Press
