Lorraine Williamson
While foreign workers keep Spain’s economy ticking — staffing hospitals, hotels, and construction sites — they’re strikingly absent from one key pillar of the country: its public sector. The state apparatus, from local councils to central ministries, remains almost exclusively staffed by Spaniards.
Yet, foreigners now make up nearly 14% of Spain’s working population. They pay into the social security system, help fill labour shortages, and are vital to sustaining the ageing nation’s pension scheme. So why are they barely visible in public-facing roles?
According to government data, fewer than 1.3% of civil servants at the national level — including those in social security, defence and administration — are of foreign origin. That figure has barely budged over the last decade.
Barriers written into law
The exclusion is not accidental. In most cases, Spanish nationality is a legal requirement for public sector roles. EU citizens can sometimes apply, and non-EU nationals who are married to Spaniards may also qualify. But for the majority of third-country migrants — particularly from Latin America, North Africa, or Asia — the road is long and bureaucratic.
Applicants often need ten years of legal residency before they’re eligible to apply. By then, many have already found jobs in more accessible sectors and abandoned the idea of public employment altogether.
And even for those who do qualify, the infamous ‘oposiciones’ — ultra-competitive entrance exams — are a major deterrent. These tests, often requiring years of full-time preparation, are out of reach for many migrants who must support families both in Spain and abroad.
“Studying for the public exams is practically a luxury,” says Vladimir Paspuel of the Ecuadorian community group Rumiñahui. “Migrants are working, sending remittances, and building lives — they don’t have the option to pause everything and study.”
Education gaps and red tape
There’s also the issue of credentials. Many foreign degrees and professional qualifications are not automatically recognised in Spain. While over half of Spanish nationals in the workforce have completed higher education, only 28% of foreign workers have comparable Spanish-recognised qualifications.
This bureaucratic mismatch not only blocks career advancement but also signals a lack of institutional support for integration into skilled professions.
An invisible minority in town halls
For those few who do make it in, the isolation is palpable.
“I’ve never had another migrant colleague,” says Elisabeth Laura, a social worker of Bolivian origin now working for several councils in Valencia. Born abroad but now holding dual nationality, she says her presence often surprises people.
“Just being visible can make a difference,” she says. “When people see someone like me in this job, they realise it’s possible. And I can connect better with families from diverse backgrounds — it makes the work more effective.”
Cultural competence, still lacking
Ahmed Khalifa from the Moroccan Association for Integration argues that the lack of diversity is more than symbolic — it’s a barrier to effective governance.
“Spain needs more intercultural mediators,” he says. “People who understand the communities they serve — linguistically, culturally, emotionally. That means hiring people from migrant backgrounds.”
The central government officially allows foreigners with valid residency to apply for temporary roles in the public sector. But the uptake is dismal — just 3% of new hires in 2023 were foreign nationals. Many don’t even know these positions are an option. And where salaries are lower than in private-sector equivalents, motivation wanes further.
Cracks in the wall — but will they widen?
Spain’s Ministry of Public Administration claims reforms are underway to modernise and diversify the civil service. With an ageing workforce and a looming retirement wave, tens of thousands of posts are expected to open in the coming years.
But unless legal and structural hurdles are addressed — from easing nationality requirements to simplifying diploma recognition — those opportunities are likely to bypass foreign applicants yet again.
Meanwhile, outside the corridors of government, change is already underway. In 2024, most new jobs created in Spain were taken by foreign workers, particularly in hospitality, construction and basic administrative roles.
But when it comes to government offices — the face of the state — the doors remain mostly closed.
Real reform means removing barriers
If Spain wants its institutions to reflect the reality of modern society, it will need to go beyond token gestures. The civil service must become more inclusive — not just in theory, but in practice. Real reform means removing barriers, recognising foreign expertise, and actively recruiting from Spain’s multicultural population.
Until then, for many immigrants, the public sector will remain a dream deferred — locked behind red tape and cultural resistance.