The Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) has called on the Barcelona City Council to urgently expand the availability of Catalan courses for immigrants. Consequently, the party warns that the current supply is insufficient to meet the expected surge in demand. This demand is triggered by the central government’s upcoming extraordinary regularisation process.
ERC spokesperson Jordi Castellana is set to present the initiative to the municipal Social Rights commission this Tuesday. The proposal argues that language learning is a critical tool for social cohesion and integration. Moreover, this is particularly important as thousands of foreign residents in the city prepare to formalise their legal status.
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Catalan courses for immigrants: Anticipating a surge in demand
Spain’s new extraordinary regularisation process is scheduled to begin in six weeks. Mayor Jaume Collboni estimates that at least 24,000 foreign residents currently living in Barcelona could be eligible for the measure. Across Spain, the figure is expected to reach half a million people.
However, successful regularisation often hinges on proving social integration, known locally as arraigo. To obtain the necessary social integration report, applicants are typically required to complete a 45-hour Catalan language course. This report is essential for securing work and residency permits.
Castellana highlights that the demand for these courses already outstrips supply. He describes this situation as “especially alarming” at the beginner level. “The problem of the lack of places to learn Catalan is not new,” Castellana noted in the text of the initiative. Furthermore, he pointed out that immigrant advocacy groups have denounced the shortage year after year.
Catalan courses for immigrants: Demands for an ‘express’ solution
The ERC argues that the Consortium for Linguistic Normalisation (CNL) is currently unable to cope with the existing volume of requests. Therefore, the party has outlined several specific demands for Mayor Collboni’s administration:
- A comprehensive plan: The city government must create a strategy to handle the predictable rise in applications for language training.
- Increased capacity: Immediate expansion of CNL course offerings within Barcelona.
- Express homologation: The City Council should urge the Department of Linguistic Policy to open a fast-track process. This process would accredit other entities and organisations to teach valid Catalan courses.
- Continuity of study: Measures to ensure that students can continue their learning journey. This applies whether through the public consortium or third-party entities working with vulnerable groups.
The initiative also raises concerns regarding the Service for Attention to Immigrants, Emigrants and Refugees (SAIER). This service is managed in part by the CNL. Meanwhile, opposition groups have recently criticised the service following administrative changes. These changes have led to a backlog in information requests. Consequently, they threaten to cause bottlenecks just as the regularisation window opens.
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