The Catalan tax authorities will hire 49% more temporary staff for the tax return campaign

Amid stalled negotiations regarding future income tax collection, the Catalan Tax Agency (ATC) will hire 152 temporary staff members to handle tax returns during the upcoming tax season, starting in May. This represents a 49% increase in such personnel compared to last year. In addition, 36 new offices will be opened throughout Catalonia dedicated to this task. Eight of these will be temporary platforms exclusively for tax return processing, located in Barcelona (three centers), Girona, Lleida, Tarragona, the Baix Llobregat area, and the Besòs area. This tax season, like last year's, is a trial run, as the ATC will assume responsibility for tax collection in the future, as stipulated in the agreement between the PSC and ERC parties for the investiture of Salvador Illa. Negotiations on this matter are ongoing. They are currently strandedThe Republicans are demanding the ability to collect 100% of the Personal Income Tax (IRPF) within two years, while the Socialists are resisting this and believe the timeframe should be longer. The Catalan Tax Agency's (ATC) participation in the 2025 tax return campaign, which was already strengthened last year, involves the announcement of 16 positions for tax management technicians and 136 positions for administrative staff, to be assigned to various locations in Catalonia. The tax management technician positions (subgroup A2, level 22) will be located in Barcelona, ​​Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Maximum territorial coverage

The ATC will provide the service in collaboration with the State Tax Administration Agency (AEAT), ensuring maximum territorial coverage, specialized technical advice, and the interconnection of computer systems between both organizations. The service will offer telephone support from May 6 to June 30 and in-person support from June 1 to 30. Another element in preparing the ATC to take on more work and a greater volume of resources was an agreement with the State Treasury to jointly manage the vehicle registration tax. This agreement concerns a tax that contributes approximately 140 million euros annually. It took almost a year to sign after it was announcedIf the Catalan Tax Agency (ATC) were to collect 100% of the Personal Income Tax (IRPF), it would go from managing approximately €5 billion annually (currently, between its own and transferred taxes) to over €30 billion annually. To apply for positions for the income tax campaign, applicants must hold the required qualifications to join the Catalan Government's technical corps of tax managers and demonstrate C1 level proficiency in Catalan or equivalent. Interested parties must submit form ATC/007/2026 before February 2, 2026, attaching the corresponding curriculum vitae. Regarding administrative positions (subgroup C1, level 14), service will be provided in person at various locations throughout the region. The qualifications for entry into the Catalan Government's administrative corps and C1 level Catalan accreditation are also required. In this call for applications, a total of 10 positions are reserved for people with legally recognized disabilities. Shortlisted candidates will have to pass a multiple-choice knowledge test, scheduled for February 27th in Barcelona, ​​and a personal interview, which will serve to assess their professional skills and provide further information on their curriculum vitae. Selected candidates will receive comprehensive pre-training during the month of April, jointly provided by the Catalan Tax Agency (ATC) and the Spanish Tax Agency (AEAT), which will form part of the contract period. The positions will be filled through secondment or temporary appointment for a three-and-a-half-month period, from March 30th to July 10th, 2026. The experience gained and the length of service rendered during this campaign may be considered as merits in future job offers from the Catalan Tax Agency.