Andorra la VellaThe fact that the necessary “control” mechanisms are not currently in place to ensure that the stipulated overtime is actually carried out has motivated the Government to decide to “decline” the request made by the Andorran Business Confederation (CEA ) that temporary workers could work overtime in a different company than the one that had hired them. In this way, and as the Minister of Justice and Interior, Ester Molné, had already announced last week in her parliamentary session, this issue has been a topic of debate within the framework of the Council of Ministers and after evaluating it the executive has decided that this possibility will not be implemented for the temporary quota that was precisely approved this Wednesday.
Thus, the minister’s spokesperson, Guillem Casal, has stated that it has been established that there are no “regulatory mechanisms that provide for control mechanisms” so that the maximum hours that workers could work are not exceeded. In this sense, he has stated that a legislative amendment would be necessary and that if it were possible in the future it would be considered again. Asked whether, through an amendment to the budget, the immigration law could be modified to provide for these controls, since a modification is already planned, Casal replied that the budget bill is already in process parliamentary and that, therefore, if any amendment is made it will depend on the parliamentary groups, although he has also pointed out that he is not aware of “any communication” in this regard or any bill that could “affect” this matter
Casal made these statements in the press conference after the council of ministers in which the Government has precisely approved the special quotas for immigration authorizations for the winter season 2024-2025. Specifically, a total of 4,995 permits have been given the green light, a figure that represents 9.38% less than the 5,512 authorizations approved for the 2023-2024 season.
In this sense, Casal explained that to set the quota, the forecast of the needs of the country’s companies and the permits used during the last season were taken into account, when 4,942 of the total of 5,512 were consumed, the 89 .7% of the total. In other words, winter quotas have been calculated for a contingent similar to the consumption of the same during the past season.
In any case, it should be noted that the figure for the current season – which has the favorable opinion of the Economic and Social Council (CES) – can be extended, if necessary, by 30% as usual, reaching 6,494 permits.
Going into detail, of the total authorizations for the 2024-2025 season, 2,845 correspond to the hotel sector, 1,030 to workers on the ski slopes, 490 to hotel establishments on the slopes, 75 to travel agencies, 445 businesses in general ( including the rental of sports equipment and real estate activities) and 110 in the cleaning sector.
Regarding the deadline for submitting applications, it will open with the publication of the regulations in the BOPA and will last until March 31, 2025. The maximum duration of the authorizations is until May 4, 2025.