The Government has confirmed that knowledge of co-official languages will not be a mandatory requirement in the migrant regularization decree. The clarification comes amid ongoing debate about the inclusion of Catalan and other regional languages in residency and work procedures, an issue that has generated concern in various municipalities in Catalonia.
The Executive rules out mandatory in the initial regularization
Félix Bolaños, Minister of the Presidency and Justice, has underlined that the norm remains in the processing phase and that none of the contributions received requires knowledge of a co-official language as an essential condition for the initial regularization. The statement was made in Lorca, Murcia, before a meeting with the president of the Superior Court of Justice of the Region of Murcia.
"The regulation is in process, in the public hearing phase, and contributions are being made that will be studied, but none say that any co-official language must be an essential requirement to grant initial regularization, neither for residence nor for work, no contribution says that it entails that" - Félix Bolaños, Minister of the Presidency and Justice
Sources from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations have reiterated that the contributions received on the text of the decree in no case include the obligation to know any official language to receive the initial residence and work permit.
Catalan in the first renewal, under proposal from the Generalitat
Francesc Xavier Vila, counselor of the Generalitat, has presented an amendment so that in the first renewal of the residence permit, knowledge of Catalan is taken into account. This proposal is under study and is not contemplated in the initial text of the decree.
According to sources from the Executive, migrants covered by the measure would have one year to begin learning the official languages of the autonomous communities. This provision is part of ongoing negotiations and could affect those residing in municipalities in Barcelona, Girona, or Tarragona.
Extensions and accreditation of social integration
The department headed by Elma Saiz has detailed that, to request the extension after one year of regularization, individuals may avail themselves of the integration pathways provided for in the RELOEX, which include options such as integration for training or for employment. Furthermore, the extension could be granted if the right to regularization is maintained and a favorable report on integration from the autonomous social services is presented.
These reports will accredit, among other aspects, the learning of the official languages of the place of residence. The measures will be applied in coherence with the current immigration regulations in all authorizations.
- It will not be mandatory to prove knowledge of Catalan for the initial authorization of residence and work.
- The Generalitat proposes that it be valued in the first renewal of the permit.
- The learning of official languages could be relevant in social integration reports for extensions.