During the conference organized by Pimec Lleida, it was highlighted that the lack of local labor means newcomers already account for over half of the workforce in the care and domestic services sectors. Borja Solans, president of the employers' association, stated that this figure, currently around 50%, is expected to rise. In Lleida city, Deputy Mayor Carlos Enjuanes noted that 18.76% of the population is over 65, a percentage projected to increase to 28% within the next decade.
“"In the care sector, for people who look after others, it is being detected that there are no native workers who want to take these jobs, and therefore, it would be good if companies had the facility to seek foreigners in their countries and bring them here to work as caregivers."
Ferran Camas, Professor of Labor Law and Social Security and director of the Chair of Immigration, Rights and Citizenship at the University of Girona, pointed out that a major bureaucratic hurdle is the recognition of the national employment situation. This requirement must be streamlined to facilitate hiring when the domestic labor market lacks suitable professional profiles. Solans also criticized the bureaucratic slowness, noting that regularization files often take eleven or twelve months to resolve.
Foreign labor is also crucial in other key sectors across Catalonia, such as agriculture (70% of employment) and hospitality (36%). Unions UGT and Comissions Obreres emphasized that this contribution is "structural" for maintaining the productive system. Furthermore, the Spanish Government Subdelegate in Lleida, José Crespín, highlighted that foreign workers contribute 10% of income to the Social Security system while only accounting for 1% of expenditure, clearly supporting the pension system.
