The Government of the Canary Islands, through the Deputy Ministry of the Presidency, has awarded a strategic grant to the Gran Canaria Chamber of Commerce to fund an innovative socio-labor training project. This initiative, which has the direct collaboration of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Children and Families, is specifically designed to support unaccompanied migrant children in the islands who have reached adulthood after having been under the public guardianship system.
The Chambers of Commerce of Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife each received grants of 500.000 euros for the social and labor integration of young people formerly under guardianship and migrant minors. According to data from Canariasenpleno.comThe program has a dual social and economic impact. On the one hand, it aims to facilitate the inclusion, autonomy, and overall well-being of these young people, offering them key tools for their effective integration into Canarian society. On the other hand, the initiative directly addresses the needs identified within the island's business sector, implementing tailored training models that align participants' skills with the real demands of the labor market.
This public-private partnership not only aims to improve the life opportunities of these young people, but also aligns with the archipelago's economic development strategy. By channeling the talent of these young people towards sectors that require skilled personnel, the Gran Canaria Chamber of Commerce seeks to mitigate, as far as possible, imbalances in the labor market, while simultaneously contributing to social cohesion and more balanced economic growth for the Canary Islands as a whole.
The number of unaccompanied minors or young people aged 16 to 23, with valid residence permits and registered with Social Security, increased from 27% (2.110 people) to 60% (10.348) of registered workers between June 2021 and December 2024. This represents a 32% increase in registration over the last three years, coinciding with the reform of immigration regulations.
Specifically, the reform approved by Royal Decree 903/2021 automatically recognized the right to work for unaccompanied minors from the age of 16 and for young people aged 18 to 23 who had left foster care. In this context, the data shows a significant increase in employment within this group, with the percentage being even higher (68%) among young people aged 18 to 23 who had left foster care by the end of 2024.
A regulatory change has allowed thousands of young foreigners to find job opportunities in various sectors across the country. The hospitality industry accounts for 27% of total registrations, followed by administrative and support service activities (16%) and agriculture and fishing (13%). “These figures reflect what is already a reality: the labor market integration of unaccompanied minors and young people leaving foster care. Thanks to the reform of the Immigration Regulations, Social Security registrations have doubled in three years. These figures debunk myths and confirm that these young people come to Spain seeking a better life, and they find it,” the minister stated.
