Speaking in Madrid on Spain’s National Day, Canary Islands president Fernando Clavijo accused the central government of “inaction” in the face of a renewed uptick in boat arrivals. Since 1 September, more than 3,800 migrants have reached the archipelago—many embarking on perilous Atlantic crossings from West Africa. Clavijo fears that the EU’s new migration pact will entrench a ‘containment’ model that leaves outermost regions like the Canaries acting as holding zones. He urged Madrid to accelerate promised funding for reception facilities and to consider housing-market measures such as limits on foreign property purchases, arguing that the influx exacerbates local rent inflation. For multinationals operating tourism infrastructure in the Canaries, any cap on foreign real-estate investment could reshape expatriate housing strategies. Mobility managers should watch forthcoming decrees that may impose purchase-permit requirements or differentiate tax treatment for non-resident buyers. Clavijo also reiterated calls for a 60 % personal-income-tax rebate for La Palma residents through 2027, a measure initially introduced after the 2021 volcanic eruption. If approved by the Council of Ministers, the rebate could make the island more attractive for remote-worker assignments under Spain’s digital-nomad visa. The president’s remarks add pressure on Spain’s caretaker government, which must balance election campaigning with day-to-day crisis management; further cabinet decisions on charter flights and EU emergency funds are expected before month-end.
Source: Agencia EFE
