The Government of the Canary Islands confirmed on 27 November that Vice-Minister Octavio Caraballo will represent the archipelago at the 10th European Migration Forum in Brussels on 28 November. The two-day gathering—organised by the European Economic and Social Committee—focuses on harnessing migrants’ skills for the EU labour market, a priority issue for the islands, which shoulder a disproportionate share of irregular arrivals by sea.
Caraballo will speak on a panel titled “From Skills to Success”, sharing lessons from regional initiatives that fast-track language training and recognise foreign qualifications in hospitality and renewable-energy sectors. The Canary Islands processed over 40,000 maritime arrivals in 2025, many from West Africa, and regional authorities argue that early labour-market access is essential to avoid social exclusion.
![Canary Islands Take Seat at EU Migration Forum to Advocate Skills-Based Integration]()
For employers on the islands—where tourism vacancies remain 15 % above pre-pandemic levels—the forum is a chance to lobby for EU funding to scale up vocational-training visas and digital recognition platforms that cut red-tape when hiring third-country nationals. Spanish relocation specialists say that smoother skills-matching could also ease pressure on Madrid’s centralised work-permit quota system, which often releases places too late for seasonal demand.
The Canary delegation is expected to push for pilot projects that would allow asylum-seekers with in-demand skills to convert their status to work residence more quickly, mirroring recent reforms to Spain’s Arraigo procedures. If adopted at EU level, such flexibilities would have nationwide implications for corporate mobility teams recruiting talent into Spain’s hospitality, agritech and green-energy hubs.
While no formal decisions will be taken in Brussels, the presence of a Spanish autonomous community at the EU forum signals growing sub-national influence over migration-policy debates—an evolution multinational employers should track as regional skill-shortage lists and integration programmes increasingly shape Spain’s immigration landscape.
Caraballo will speak on a panel titled “From Skills to Success”, sharing lessons from regional initiatives that fast-track language training and recognise foreign qualifications in hospitality and renewable-energy sectors. The Canary Islands processed over 40,000 maritime arrivals in 2025, many from West Africa, and regional authorities argue that early labour-market access is essential to avoid social exclusion.
For employers on the islands—where tourism vacancies remain 15 % above pre-pandemic levels—the forum is a chance to lobby for EU funding to scale up vocational-training visas and digital recognition platforms that cut red-tape when hiring third-country nationals. Spanish relocation specialists say that smoother skills-matching could also ease pressure on Madrid’s centralised work-permit quota system, which often releases places too late for seasonal demand.
The Canary delegation is expected to push for pilot projects that would allow asylum-seekers with in-demand skills to convert their status to work residence more quickly, mirroring recent reforms to Spain’s Arraigo procedures. If adopted at EU level, such flexibilities would have nationwide implications for corporate mobility teams recruiting talent into Spain’s hospitality, agritech and green-energy hubs.
While no formal decisions will be taken in Brussels, the presence of a Spanish autonomous community at the EU forum signals growing sub-national influence over migration-policy debates—an evolution multinational employers should track as regional skill-shortage lists and integration programmes increasingly shape Spain’s immigration landscape.
