Regularization Boosts Foreign Employment: 6 Out of 10 New Hires Are Immigrants

Employment data from recent months confirm that the extraordinary regularization program has changed the labor landscape. Between April and June, more than 262,000 people were registered after obtaining their papers. That figure represents 60% of all foreign employment created over the past twelve months, which totals 420,875 registered workers.

The government is processing applications at a slow pace, and each decision is reflected in the statistics. So far, it has processed 70% of the 1.17 million applications submitted. Eight out of ten new contributors fall under the General Social Security System, and 5% are self-employed. The impact is such that foreign nationals account for 65% of total employment generated over the past year.

But the other side of the coin lies in the unemployment rolls. While unemployment is falling among Spaniards, it is rising among foreigners. In July, unemployment rose by 19,517 people, and 15,535 of them were of other nationalities. On a year-over-year basis, unemployment among foreign nationals is up 9.5%, while the overall rate is down 3.9%. There are 30,959 more people registered with the SEPE than a year ago.

Why this contradiction? Foreigners who have regularized their status but cannot find work are registering as job seekers. Previously, they could not even sign up. The Secretary of State for Labor, Joaquín Pérez Rey, insists that their time on unemployment benefits will be temporary and that registration is a preliminary step toward their eventual hiring. But the employers’ association CEOE urges caution: some of these newly unemployed individuals may be seeking access to job placement programs or hiring incentives.

If you’ve benefited from regularization and still don’t have a job, the logical thing to do is to register with the SEPE. You won’t receive unemployment benefits, because most people haven’t made contributions before. But being registered opens doors to training courses and job offers. And if you have an irregular job, get it regularized: registration grants you rights and makes it easier to get hired.

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