A new ManpowerGroup report released on 2 July shows that 78 % of Spanish technology companies cannot fill open roles—a figure that now exceeds the EU average. Skills shortages are most acute in artificial intelligence, cyber-security and data analytics. Industry association DigitalES puts chronic unfilled vacancies at 130,000, warning that projects worth billions are delayed or cancelled each year. The talent gap is fuelling pressure on policymakers to fine-tune Spain’s migration playbook. Since January, the Digital-Nomad Visa has required a monthly income of €2,849—200 % of the minimum wage—which startups say is reasonable for senior engineers but still too high for graduate-level recruits. Meanwhile, the fast-track Highly-Qualified Professional permit (HQP) remains bureaucratic: appointments at some consulates are stretching beyond eight weeks, and employers complain of inconsistent adjudication on remote-work arrangements. Business lobby CEOE is calling for an expanded ‘Tech-Visa Express’ that would grant provisional work authorisation within ten days, mirroring France’s ‘Passeport Talent’. It also wants the government to open STEM study-to-work transitions and to exempt stock-option gains below €50,000 from tax to woo start-up staff. The Ministry of Inclusion has hinted that amendments could be folded into the autumn omnibus labour bill. For global-mobility teams the message is clear: Spain remains attractive thanks to cost-of-living and lifestyle factors, but securing residence rights for specialists is becoming a competitive sport. Companies should budget for relocation allowances that cover private health insurance, fast-lane digital-nomad fees where relevant, and Spanish-language upskilling to improve retention. They should also watch for imminent regulatory tweaks that could shorten lead-times—but may introduce new salary or educational thresholds.
Source: El HuffPost
