Andorran Retailers Push for Flexible Worker Quotas to Retain Seasonal Staff

Andorran business leaders are calling for a comprehensive solution to widespread labour shortages affecting retail, construction, and other expanding sectors, demanding greater quota flexibility to retain skilled seasonal workers.

The push emerged prominently at Friday's Consell Econòmic i Social meeting, where Confederació Empresarial Andorrana (CEA) president Gerard Cadena stressed that all high-growth industries face staffing gaps. "All sectors that are now performing strongly have a personnel problem," he said, pointing to rising economic activity and commercial surface areas clashing with restricted worker inflows.

Retailers specifically requested improved access to the general quota, which often becomes unavailable once the seasonal quota activates. This blocks firms from converting promising temporary staff into permanent roles. Economy, Labour and Housing Minister Conxita Marsol outlined the issue post-meeting, noting that businesses experience dysfunction when they cannot secure top seasonal performers long-term. Retailers do not seek a permanently open general quota but rather a wider margin to adjust hiring to their needs.

Cadena urged swift decisions, avoiding delays until November, as current demands require immediate action. He advocated frameworks by October, broader trade coverage beyond basic construction labour, and source-country hiring for third-country nationals. This would accelerate paperwork under the France-Spain border management agreement, where processing can take 28-42 days. Pre-arrival selection and documentation could cut effective waits to one or two weeks, depending on neighbours' timelines.

On construction, Marsol said the Interior Ministry continues evaluating a temporary project-linked quota proposed over the summer. Details remain undecided, including worker numbers, mobility between sites, and whether permits tie strictly to one project. Formal proposals will reach the Council of Ministers after sector consultations.

In a related labour development, Marsol and USdA spokesperson Joan Torra confirmed two service-sector firms, each with over 100 employees, have requested confidential union elections under the new Labour Relations Code mechanism. Approved at the meeting, the forthcoming regulation enables anonymous worker petitions via email or simple forms, with Labour Inspection verifying eligibility—requiring at least 10% support in large firms. Torra criticised delays, noting one request has stalled for four months, and called for awareness campaigns to encourage representation.