Barcelona has an image as primarily a tourist city. This is the perception of most foreign professionals and entrepreneurs who have chosen the Catalan capital to work and live. This perception means that efforts are needed to improve its standing as a place to do business or research, explained Mercè Conesa, CEO of Barcelona Global, at the presentation of theInternational Talent Monitor 2025A study commissioned by the Barcelona Global association reveals that 62.9% of respondents perceive Barcelona as a tourist city, while only 7.2% see it as innovative and 2% as sustainable. This survey, conducted every two years, captures the pulse and trends in how international talent perceives the city. The analysis, supported by Banco Sabadell and the consulting firm Gaps, shows that international residents recommend "rebalancing the city's global narrative." 64.7% advise focusing more on technology and innovation; 57.7% on sustainability and climate; and 48.1% on creative industries, culture, and ecosystems such as life sciences to strengthen "a brand that projects Barcelona as the knowledge capital of Southern Europe," explained Oriol Molas, co-founder and CEO of Gaps.

Nearly three million people with Spanish nationality currently live abroad, of whom approximately 400,000 were habitual residents of Catalonia. Just 15 years ago, that number was less than 150,000.

The net contribution or added value (GAV) of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector to the country's economy reached €9.955 billion between 2008 and 2024, double that of a decade ago, according to data from the Barometer of the Technology Sector in Catalonia prepared by the Technological Circle (Círculo Tecnológico) and with the support of the Generalitat (Catalan Government). Although the figures show that employment in the sector in Catalonia is growing above the European average (3.5%) and already represents 3.7% of Catalan workers, with 168,300 professionals, in the last quarter of 2024 there were still more than 1,800 unfilled positions. "We continue to grow, but we are not contributing enough talent," noted the president of the Technological Circle, Joan Ramon Barrera.

The Spanish government is moving to attract renowned researchers from around the world, especially those currently working in the United States. The Council of Ministers approved this Tuesday a call for proposals worth up to 45 million euros within the ATRAE program, first launched three years ago, with the aim of attracting foreign talent. The Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, stressed that the focus is on researchers "despised" by the Donald Trump administration, which is cutting project funding and censoring certain lines of research related to gender perspectives, diversity, and the climate crisis, among other areas.

The Ministry of Research and Universities is currently finalizing a plan to attract American talent who, due to the actions of the Trump administration, are considering coming to Europe to continue their research. The initiative is divided into two phases, according to sources from the Catalan government who explained to ARA. The first will focus on recruiting researchers from the American research system on competitive terms, with the aim of consolidating Catalonia as a leading R&D destination.