Spain grants temporary work permits to migrants for the agrarian sector

Spain has announced a decree that would grant temporary work permits to migrants as well as work benefits in order to fill vacancies required in the agrarian sector. This year, harvest season in Spain and Europe coincided with the lockdown measures adopted by the government to stop the spread of the virus. As a consequence, many temporary workers from countries such as Morocco, could not enter the country during this period and farmers saw an important slowdown in harvest numbers. Since the lockdown has been extended, there are fears that this could lead to food shortages and thus the government is trying to offset this shortage by recruiting workers that previously were not allowed to work or have been unemployed during the coronavirus crisis. The Coordinator for the Organizations of Farmers and Growers (COAG) has estimated that at least 285,000 workers were needed last year during the harvest season in Spain during the months of April, May, and June. This year, if nothing changes, there will be a 40% deficit in the number of workers.