Spain is considering a major change that could make it easier for experienced non-EU professionals to work in the country. The Court of Auditors has urged the government to remove the requirement for prior university degree validation for foreign workers who can prove between five and fifteen years of formally recognised professional experience.
If approved, the measure would align non-EU professionals with EU citizens, who already benefit from more flexible recognition rules. The goal is clear: reduce bureaucracy, speed up hiring, and allow qualified workers to enter the labour market more easily.
A System Struggling Under Heavy Delays
The recommendation comes after the Court released a detailed report titled “Is the procedure for validating university education from foreign educational systems effective and transparent?” The findings reveal a system overwhelmed by delays, structural issues, and outdated processes.
As of 30 June 2025, more than 80,000 validation applications were still pending, with many cases surpassing the six-month legal processing limit. The backlog has made it increasingly difficult for the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities to manage the workload efficiently.
What’s Going Wrong With the Current Validation System?
The report highlights several key problems:
- Outdated electronic identification and signature systems
- An incomplete list of regulated professions
- No standardised procedure manuals
- Chronic understaffing
- Inefficient computer tools
- Poor accounting systems that make it impossible to calculate real processing costs
Together, these weaknesses create a system that is slow, opaque, and unable to meet demand.
The Court’s Proposal: Recognise Experience, Not Just Degrees
The Court of Auditors’ strongest recommendation is to extend EU-style flexibility to non-EU workers: If a foreign professional has 5–15 years of proven work experience, they would not need prior academic validation to work in Spain.
Such a change could:
- Speed up the integration of highly skilled workers
- Help fill shortages in key sectors
- Reduce the Ministry’s administrative burden
- Allow officials to focus on more complex academic assessments
This reflects a growing global shift toward recognising professional experience as an alternative or complement to formal qualifications.
How Spain Compares With Other Countries
Spain would not be alone in moving toward a more experience-based model. Countries such as Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom already use systems that emphasise professional experience for skilled immigration.
Adopting similar criteria could make Spain more competitive and attract the talent needed in areas such as healthcare, engineering, technology, and education.
A Possible Turning Point for Foreign Professionals
If Spain follows the Court’s advice, thousands of qualified non-EU workers could gain faster access to the labour market without navigating years-long bureaucratic procedures. The reform would modernise the country’s approach, reduce administrative backlogs, and help address ongoing labour shortages.
For many experienced foreign professionals, this could mean a smoother, quicker path to working in Spain—without unnecessary red tape.