There was anticipation this Thursday at the Círculo de Economía (Circle of Economy) to hear from the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration and spokesperson for the Spanish government, Elma Saiz, as she was to speak on a topic that generates political and demagogic controversy: immigration. This very forum, chaired by Teresa Garcia-Milà, issued an opinion piece a few days ago calling for a moderation of the arrival of immigrants and its alignment with a new economic model based on greater productivity. It also demanded a "genuine immigration policy." Saiz, accustomed to touting the achievements of Pedro Sánchez's government (she even conveniently used this to conclude her statements to journalists before entering with a Not in war), he didn't completely satisfy when questioned.

The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration and spokesperson for the Spanish government, Elma Saiz, vehemently defended the extraordinary regularization program announced by the Executive. In a conversation with the president of the Círculo de Economía (Circle of Economy), Teresa Garcia-Milà, she stated that "orderly and integrated immigration is the key to sustaining economic prosperity in the coming decades." In response to questions from Garcia-Milà, she applauded the fact that some autonomous communities, such as Catalonia, are demanding powers regarding immigration within the constitutional framework. She acknowledged that there are issues, such as healthcare and others, that require local management. Saiz participated in the Cercle after the organization published an opinion piece a few days ago calling for the regulation of migration flows and their adaptation to an economic model based on improving productivity. The minister, who congratulated the Catalan organization for opening the debate on the issue, noted that the people who will be eligible for regularization "are already here" and rejected claims by some political groups that the new arrivals will overwhelm public services. The data, she added, shows that they do not overwhelm public services, but rather "contribute to sustaining them." It is, in any case, the responsibility of public administrations to size public services according to the population, the Spanish government spokesperson said. She asserted that "when immigration is managed well, it is not a threat but an opportunity for growth and for strengthening democratic society."

The YouTubers And some social media profiles have found a new goldmine for generating discussion, tension, and therefore, more views for their content. The claim that young people (millennials and zetas) will have a much darker future than the present enjoyed by their parents and grandparents (boomersThis has reopened the debate surrounding the sustainability of pensions and a scenario of intergenerational conflict that is being particularly capitalized on by the far-right. That the system is under strain is something experts have been saying for years, but beyond the clashes between age groups, the question for the coming decades is different: how to guarantee pensions in the future?

2025 was a record-breaking year for the Catalan labor market, thanks in part to the influx of foreign workers. This group ended the year with a total of 697,103 registered with Social Security, the highest figure ever recorded for a year-end and 4.2% higher than in 2024. According to figures published this Friday by the Spanish Ministry of Labor, the number of these workers has increased by 368,406 over the last decade (+88.9%).

Except in with a few exceptions, such as the post-Covid recovery in 2021October is typically a slow month for the job market. This year, unemployment has risen again in Catalonia by 2,423 people, a 0.75% increase, slightly less pronounced than last year, according to data published Tuesday by the Ministry of Labor. In total, there are now 324,495 people registered as job seekers with employment services, 10,344 fewer than a year ago. This is the lowest figure for an October since 2007, just before the Great Recession hit. However, in absolute numbers, Catalonia was the third autonomous community with the largest increase in unemployment, behind only Castile and León and Andalusia.

A week after the Congress of Deputies rejected the delegation of immigration powers to the Generalitat (Catalan Government) and the PP proposed a "points-based visa" to control new arrivals, ARA interviewed the minister in charge, Elma Saiz.

The labor market is showing signs of slackening in August, coinciding with the end of the summer season. Catalonia was the autonomous community that lost the most jobs last month and where unemployment increased the most, as confirmed by data published Tuesday by the Ministry of Social Security and the Ministry of Labor.

The Spanish government promoted the minimum living income (MLI) during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt to "eradicate poverty and promote labor market participation and social inclusion for people in vulnerable situations." Five years later, the Independent Accountability Authority (AIREF) believes that this flagship measure of Pedro Sánchez's administration has failed to fulfill at least one of its objectives. The agency found that the benefit reduces the probability of working by three percentage points (12% less) and decreases the number of days worked to 0.6 per month (11% less). These are the main conclusions of the annual analysis of this benefit published by the AIREF, which, for the first time, focuses on its impact on employment.

For the first time in history, there are more than 3.9 million workers in Catalonia. The June Social Security affiliation data, published this Wednesday by the relevant ministry, confirm that Summer has arrived with a new record in occupancy in our countrySpecifically, 24,177 new people were added to jobs, bringing the total to 3,905,458, the highest figure in the entire historical series.

The late start of the tourist season already boosted in April towards A new absolute record for employment in Catalonia, and as summer approaches, the milestone continues. In May, the Catalan labor market once again reached historic highs, with an average of 3,881,281 Social Security affiliates, according to data published this Tuesday by the relevant ministry. This is an increase of 37,065 people, 0.96% more than the previous month. Thus, Catalonia was the second territory in the country in job creation in absolute terms, behind only the Balearic Islands (+51,237 people), where the arrival of warm weather (and tourists) also kick-starts the campaign for new hiring.

A victory for workers in hazardous jobs, who for years have been demanding early retirement without losing their pensions. The Council of Ministers approved a royal decree this Tuesday regulating the prior procedure for determining in which cases the retirement age can be brought forward through the so-called reduction coefficients. This measure is intended to benefit those professionals "in jobs of an exceptionally arduous, dangerous, or unhealthy nature" and with high mortality rates who until now were ineligible. Under no circumstances may retirement be brought forward before the age of 52.