KNOWLEDGE of Catalan is set to become a key condition for anyone hoping to build a life in Barcelona, after new rules confirmed that language skills will be required to renew residence permits.
Catalonia’s regional president, Salvador Illa, has made it clear that while newcomers will not need to prove language ability when first granted residency, they will be expected to show knowledge of Catalan within a year if they wish to stay.
Failure to do so could result in permits being revoked at the renewal stage.
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Illa stressed that Catalan, one of the region’s three official languages, is central to integration, describing it as both ‘practical’ and ‘a sign of respect’.
The announcement comes as Spain rolls out a wider immigrant regularisation scheme backed by prime minister Pedro Sanchez, which took effect this week.
Under the new approach, Catalan will not be required initially, but after 12 months migrants must show they have settled in the community.
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To support this, the regional government plans to expand free language courses.
An additional 50,000 places will be created, bringing the total to 150,000 for the upcoming academic year.
Spain’s government delegate in Catalunya, Carlos Prieto, has backed the move, calling Catalan knowledge ‘an important factor in socio-labour integration reports’.
It remains unclear whether the rule, which is not currently imposed on Spanish citizens, will be extended to include Spanish and Aranese – the region’s two other official languages.
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