Mauritania has launched a legal migration program in partnership with Spain, marking the first phase with the recruitment of 50 Mauritanian agricultural workers for employment in Spain’s agricultural sector. The announcement was made on December 22.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by both nations to address illegal migration, which includes a recently signed memorandum of understanding to tackle the issue. The program is being implemented by the National Agency for Employment (Techguil), under Mauritania’s Ministry of Youth Empowerment, in collaboration with the Ministries of the Interior, Decentralization, and Local Development.
In the initial phase, the program will recruit 50 Mauritanian agricultural workers, aged between 25 and 50, with prior agricultural experience and proof of good health through a medical certificate.
The recruitment process will unfold in three stages: the first stage involves screening 300 candidates based on eligibility criteria and submitted documents; the second stage consists of individual interviews conducted by a technical committee to verify the submitted information; and the third stage will involve selecting the final 50 candidates from a pool of 150.
The final selection will take place in the presence of representatives from the Labor, Migration, and Social Security Office of the Spanish Embassy, as well as a Spanish employer, to ensure the suitability of candidates for the positions.
The program follows agreements signed in August by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez during his visit to Mauritania, addressing migration, security, and climate issues.
In 2023, the Canary Islands saw an unprecedented surge in migrant arrivals, with over 41,000 migrants reaching its shores, many of whom departed from Mauritania. Additionally, Mauritania and the European Union signed a joint declaration in March, where the EU pledged to invest more than 200 million euros in exchange for enhanced Mauritanian efforts to combat illegal migration.