Reach an agreement with social agents to implement progressive registrations, expand the catalog of professions that are difficult to cover, extend the State Voluntary Return Plan for Spaniards living abroad and promote greater inclusion of foreign people in our market work, are some of the objectives that the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, has established for her portfolio in economic and employment matters for this 2025.
This morning, Saiz took stock of the year 2024 and presented the objectives of his ministry for the year ahead. In order of importance, the most relevant announcement has been the beginning of conversations between social agents to develop progressive discharges of temporary disability. “I will chair the next meeting at the end of January to advance this issue, always with the health of workers at the center and the modernization of Social Security as the banner,” he announced. In this sense, he added that, although he is not going to establish a date for the signing of the agreement, this is “easily attainable”.
In addition, he has assured that this year he intends to include Return Offices in the state plan to advise and help Spaniards who live abroad and wish to return to Spain. Nearly three million Spaniards are currently registered in the Register of Spaniards Resident Abroad, according to the Spanish Institute of Statistics. Argentina, France, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany are the countries with the most Spanish residents.
More inclusion of foreigners in the labor market
Another of this year’s objectives will be a better inclusion of foreigners in the labor market. “It is a priority issue that we will address through two closely connected lines of work: one, the expansion of the catalog of occupations that are difficult to cover, a task that I will personally assume by identifying labor sectors objectively; and another, the labor mobility strategy,” he stated.
In this sense, Elma Saiz has framed the debate within social dialogue. “We have to talk a lot with unions and businessmen. People who come from outside can help us fill those vacancies in sectors where they are needed.”
Message to Yolanda Díaz about the reduction of working hours
The minister has also spoken about another of the hot topics in the workplace. “There are many ministries that work and we try to make the reduction of working hours a reality as soon as possible. For me, with a partner, an internal conversation is easier“, the minister responded to journalists’ questions in reference to the controversy between Economy and Labor and, specifically, about the harsh statements made yesterday by Yolanda Díaz.
They hope to validate the pension agreement this January
In addition to presenting the objectives for 2025, Minister Elma Saiz has made a positive balance of last year. “2024 was the year of 21 million members, and we have consolidated 21.3 million members. It is a historical maximum,” he celebrated. “Since the beginning of 2024, more than 553,000 permanent jobs have been registered and temporary employment has fallen to 12.8%, converging with European levels,” he added.
Furthermore, he recalled that in 2024 the Ministry reached a pension agreement with employers and unionsan agreement that allows the development of new modalities of partial and active retirement and that They hope to validate it in the Congress of Deputies the third week of January.
Regarding the balance of the Minimum Living Income, Saiz highlighted that the IMV has reached a total of almost 950,000 families and more than 2.8 million people since its launch. “One of the most successful aspects is the employment incentive. The IMV is a benefit designed to facilitate inclusion at all levels, and of course, at the work level. In 2024, 257,000 people have received the employment incentive, 40% of the total, and let us remember that many are minors,” explained the minister.