Andorra Expands Hiring-at-Origin Strategy to Tackle Hotel Labor Shortages

Joan León, Andorra's Secretary of State for Justice and Interior, has outlined plans to expand the country's hiring-at-origin strategy beyond an initial pilot programme, positioning it as a tool for managed migration and international cooperation.

Speaking at the V Ibero-American Forum on Immigration and Development in Huelva on Friday, León detailed a pilot scheme set to launch in December for the hotel sector. The initiative aims to address labour shortages in key economic areas by recruiting workers from abroad to fill vacancies that local labour struggles to cover at peak times. It also provides a legal, safe and organised pathway for those workers to access jobs in Andorra, with assurances of rights protection and compliance with national labour laws from day one.

León described the approach as promoting well-managed migration that fosters shared prosperity, economic development and state collaboration. He expressed Andorra's readiness to engage with interested countries on similar mechanisms, emphasising that current migration challenges demand coordinated responses rather than isolated efforts. Cooperation, sharing best practices and building mutual trust are essential for effective and humane systems, he said, adding that regular migration can drive development with proper institutional planning, clear legal frameworks and firm guarantees of rights and opportunities.

During the forum, León held bilateral meetings with representatives from Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador to advance agreements on hiring-at-origin arrangements. These discussions could pave the way for broadening the programme after the December pilot, particularly as Colombia is set to participate in the initial winter season rollout.