After obtaining a residence permit in Spain, immigrants face the risk of being temporary employees. Official statistics show a decrease in the unemployment rate in the country, which pleases those who have already received a residence permit and intend to work and live in Spain. However, before the parliamentary elections, it becomes clear that the number of temporary employment contracts is growing every year. Despite the increase in the number of contracts, Spain remains the second most unemployed country in Europe.
Young Spaniards find it difficult to find a job in the modern Spanish labor market. One unemployed Spanish woman, Elena Martin, describes the situation in the words: “They hire you and then throw you away, hire you again and throw you out again.” The problem of unemployment has become one of the most urgent before the June parliamentary elections. In 2014, after seven years of economic crisis, the number of unemployed in Spain began to decline. However, Spain still remains one of Europe’s leaders in unemployment, second only to Greece.
The Spanish prime minister talks about creating 500,000 new jobs every year, but his opponents believe that a significant part of the contracts are temporary jobs. Economist Raymond Torres points out that the Spanish labor market is recovering, but there are too many temporary and unnecessary vacancies. Data from the Spanish Ministry of Labor confirms that 90% of the contracts concluded this year are temporary. Even the Spanish economy minister talks about the problem of temporary contracts.
Economic dependence on low-paid and unskilled jobs is observed in sectors such as tourism and telemarketing. Most Spanish entrepreneurs treat their employees like disposable napkins that can be thrown away after use. Contracts for a week or even one day are becoming an increasingly common practice.
There are significant changes in the labor market in Spain. The average length of a work contract has decreased from 79 days in 2006 to 53.4 days now. Even highly qualified specialists are faced with the problem of temporary labor contracts, which sometimes last only two days off.
Elena Martin, who has received temporary work several times since 2008, is now back in line at the labor exchange. Such instability is typical not only for people without a university degree or high qualifications, but also for nurses and doctors.
In the last 7 years, 161 million work contracts have been concluded in Spain, where the working-age population is 14.5 million people. This means that most of the country’s residents are changing jobs at an incredible rate. The reform carried out in 2012, according to many, worsened the situation. For example, owners of companies with fewer than 50 employees have been granted the right to enter into permanent contracts with a one-year probation period, after which an employee can be fired without explanation and compensation.
Another problem that needs to be addressed immediately is the low level of wages. In recent years, the number of Spaniards earning less than 690 euros per month has increased.
