Learn how Spain’s Shortage Occupations List and hiring from abroad work in 2025. Complete guide by Visal Immigration Lawyers for companies and foreign workers.

Introduction

Spain in 2025 faces a recurring challenge: thousands of companies across multiple sectors urgently need workers, but the national labor market cannot provide them. Large retail groups such as El Corte Inglés or Carrefour, as well as construction firms, logistics companies, restaurants, and agricultural producers, report persistent difficulties in filling essential jobs.

In this context, the Shortage Occupations List and the procedures for Hiring from Abroad are the two main legal frameworks that determine how foreign workers can be legally hired to meet Spain’s labor demand. But as any lawyer or HR manager knows, reality is more complicated than the legal text: bureaucracy, delays, and legal restrictions mean that opportunities are often lost.

In this comprehensive guide prepared by Visal Immigration Lawyers, we explain how the system works in 2025, what opportunities exist, which sectors are most affected, what legal barriers remain, and how both employers and foreign workers can navigate the process successfully.

If you are considering working in Spain or hiring foreign staff, we strongly recommend that you schedule your consultation here with one of our immigration lawyers, so you can receive tailored legal advice.

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What is the Shortage Occupations List?

The Shortage Occupations List (“Catálogo de Ocupaciones de Difícil Cobertura”) is an official document published by the Spanish Public Employment Service (SEPE) every three months. It identifies those jobs for which the authorities consider there are not enough available workers in Spain.

Its role is decisive:

• If the job a company wants to fill is on the list, the company can directly hire a foreign worker abroad without having to prove that no Spanish candidate is available.

• If the job is not listed, the company must demonstrate that it has unsuccessfully tried to recruit locally, which often slows down or even blocks the process.

In 2025, as in previous years, the list remains very limited. Jobs typically include those linked to the maritime sector, professional sports, and some specialized technical trades. For example, crane operators, metal carpenters, electricians, maritime workers, and professional coaches.

However, many of the jobs that Spanish companies truly need to fill — such as cooks, waiters, drivers, farmworkers, and builders — are not included. This creates a huge gap between the labor demand and the legal framework.

If you are wondering how this affects you as a worker or as an employer, we recommend that you schedule your consultation here with our team at Visal Immigration Lawyers.

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Hiring from Abroad: legal pathway vs practical difficulties

In theory, the process of Hiring from Abroad (“Contratación en Origen”) should be one of the main solutions to labor shortages. It allows Spanish companies to recruit workers who are still residing in their countries of origin.

However, in practice, several obstacles appear:

• The need to respect the national employment situation test, unless the occupation is on the shortage list.

• Lengthy bureaucratic procedures at Immigration Offices in Spain, followed by additional procedures at Spanish consulates abroad.

• Processing times that often extend to 3–6 months.

• Frequent rejections by consulates, even when Spain has already approved the application.

This discourages many employers, who end up waiting until the worker is already in Spain (often in irregular status) and then try to hire them through the social and labor roots permit (arraigo sociolaboral).

At Visal Immigration Lawyers, we find that this paradox undermines the goal of controlled, legal, and orderly migration. Instead of encouraging direct hiring abroad, the system currently makes it easier to regularize those who are already in Spain irregularly.

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Why companies struggle under the current system

Employers consistently report the same difficulties, regardless of sector:

• Mismatch with reality: the jobs on the shortage list do not reflect the actual needs of the Spanish economy.

• Long delays: recruitment processes can last half a year, when the company needs staff immediately.

• Dual procedure: first approval in Spain, then visa application abroad, which doubles bureaucracy.

• Inconsistency between offices and consulates: some consulates deny visas without proper justification.

• Legal uncertainty: reforms in 2022 and 2025 have not produced a real change in efficiency.

The result is frustration for both businesses and foreign workers, and lost opportunities for Spain’s economy.

If you are a business struggling with these challenges, the first step is to schedule your consultation here. Our lawyers will guide you through the process and help avoid common mistakes.

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A working alternative: the Highly Qualified Professionals route

Interestingly, Spain has already demonstrated that an efficient system is possible. Under the Entrepreneurs Law (Ley de Emprendedores), companies can hire highly qualified professionals through the UGE (Large Companies Unit).

This process is:

• Fast (around 20 working days).

• Not subject to the national employment situation test.

• Centralized and predictable.

This begs the question: Why not extend this model to general labor contracts?

If it works for engineers and executives, it could also work for cooks, drivers, and construction workers — sectors where shortages are just as critical.

At Visal Immigration Lawyers, we strongly advocate for extending this fast-track model to general recruitment. It would help employers, foreign workers, and Spain’s overall economic competitiveness.

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Why foreign workers are vital for Spain’s future

Beyond the legal complexities, there is a fundamental reality: Spain needs foreign workers to sustain its welfare state. With an aging population and declining birth rates, immigration is essential for maintaining pensions, healthcare, and economic growth.

The sectors most reliant on foreign labor include:

• Construction and housing development.

• Tourism and hospitality.

• Transport and logistics.

• Agriculture and livestock.

Failing to provide a realistic legal framework only pushes more workers into irregular employment, harming both them and the companies that need them.

For this reason, if you are planning to move to Spain for work, or if you run a business that urgently requires foreign staff, the smartest step is to schedule your consultation here.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is Spain’s Shortage Occupations List?
It is an official list, updated every three months, of jobs for which Spain officially recognizes a lack of available candidates. If your job is on the list, your employer can hire you directly from abroad without additional restrictions.

2. What if the job I want is not on the list?
The employer must demonstrate that they have tried and failed to recruit within Spain. This is a lengthy process, and in many cases, it blocks direct hiring. It is one of the system’s main weaknesses.

3. How long does hiring from abroad take?
Processing usually takes between three and six months, including approval in Spain and visa issuance in the consulate. This is why many companies give up on the process.

4. Can someone already in Spain be hired if they are undocumented?
Yes, through the arraigo sociolaboral route, if they have been in Spain for at least two years and meet other requirements. Paradoxically, this process is sometimes faster than hiring directly from abroad.

5. What solution do experts propose?
Many lawyers and economists suggest extending the fast-track system of the Entrepreneurs Law to all sectors. This would allow companies to hire workers abroad in less than a month and without the employment situation test.

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At Visal Immigration Lawyers, we are experts in Spanish immigration law. We have helped hundreds of foreign workers and companies successfully navigate the complex legal framework.

You can contact us via WhatsApp at +34 618 702 253 or schedule your consultation here to receive personalized legal advice.

Our website www.visalimmigration.com also offers guides on related topics such as the Digital Nomad Visa, Family Reunification, and Spanish Nationality by Residence.

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Conclusion

Spain’s current system for hiring foreign workers — through the Shortage Occupations List and hiring from abroad — is outdated and insufficient. The country needs a more flexible, efficient, and realistic approach to ensure that businesses can thrive and foreign workers can contribute legally and securely.

Until such reforms take place, the best way to succeed is to work with immigration lawyers who understand the law, the offices, and the consulates. At Visal Immigration Lawyers, we are committed to guiding both companies and individuals step by step, avoiding mistakes and maximizing opportunities.

Don’t wait any longer: schedule your consultation here.