The Spanish government will limit the maximum number of training contracts per company

BarcelonaThe Council of Ministers approved on Tuesday the implementing regulations for Article 11 of the Workers' Statute regarding apprenticeship contracts, as explained at the press conference following the meeting by the Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz. One of the main changes this legal amendment entails is that, for the first time, the Spanish government will limit the maximum number of apprenticeship contracts that can exist simultaneously in a workplace. For those with up to 10 employees, the limit will be 3 contracts; for those with between 11 and 30, it will be 7; and for those with between 31 and 50, the maximum will be 10. Companies with more than 50 employees will have a limit of 20% of their total workforce. Díaz explained that this measure—pending since the last labor reform of 2021—aims to guarantee "quality training" and eradicate "abusive practices." This comes shortly after the Spanish government approved it more than two years late. the draft bill of the Scholarship Statutewhich will also require companies to reimburse students' expenses. From now on, apprenticeship contracts will have two modalities: work-study and professional internship. Before the labor reform, there were three.

The work-study contract is for people who are still studying and complement their studies with an apprenticeship in a company or public entity. This contract can be signed by people between 16 and 30 years old and must last from three months to two years. Working hours cannot exceed 65% during the first year and 85% in the second year, and students cannot be forced to work overtime, shifts, or night shifts. Díaz emphasized that remuneration can never be less than the minimum professional wage (SMI) proportional to the working hours and must comply with the collective bargaining agreement. These characteristics also apply to the other option, contracts for obtaining professional internships, which are designed for people who have obtained a university degree or a vocational training certificate (FP) and are looking to gain experience in their field. In both cases, the minister emphasized the role of tutors—both from the academic institution and the company—who will have to ensure that the training plan designed for each intern is followed and fulfilled correctly. No overtime or weekends

Díaz presented testimonies gathered by the Ministry of Labor from individuals who, while completing internships at companies, worked weekends, never signed a contract, received only 40 euros a month, or were required to perform tasks unrelated to their training, such as sorting invoices or answering calls. "This practice has now ended in Spain, because this law prohibits it. I urge companies to make use of these apprenticeship contracts," the Second Vice President of the Spanish government asserted.