By Omar Bah
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will sign a circular migration program with The Gambia during his visit to the West African country. This program will allow workers from The Gambia to come to Spain for short periods to meet labor needs and then return to their home country. The Canary Islands has already signed a similar program with Senegal, bringing in at least 100 Senegalese workers to help with farming during the harvest season. Spain will also sign a similar agreement with Mauritania.
During his second visit to West Africa, Prime Minister Sanchez aimed to curb migration to the Canary Islands and counter the presence of Russians in the Sahel region. He is focusing on strengthening relations with Mauritania, Senegal, and The Gambia, which are the main departure points for migrant boats.
According to data from the European Union border agency Frontex, there has been a 154% surge in the West African migration route this year, with 21,620 people crossing to the Canary Islands in the first seven months. This has strained resources in the Spanish archipelago, with local authorities considering housing migrants in military camps or tents due to an expected rise in arrivals as the Atlantic Ocean becomes calmer.
Spanish authorities fear that up to 150,000 more migrants from Africa may attempt the dangerous crossing in the coming months. Nearly 5,000 migrants from The Gambia have been confirmed dead at sea in the first five months of 2024 while trying to reach the Spanish Canary Islands, making it the deadliest route between Africa and Spain.
Spain’s temporary and circular mobility policy is based on a legal framework that promotes recruitment in the country of origin as one of the main routes for foreign workers to access the Spanish labor market. The government uses the “Collective Management of Recruitment in Country of Origin” mechanism to recruit most temporary workers in their home countries. Additionally, the law provides other forms of access for the residence and work of foreign nationals, such as fixed-term authorizations for residence and work under the General Scheme, permits for the provision of transnational services, and other approvals for stays for research, study, and traineeships.
Since 2004, temporary and circular migration policies have been part of Spain’s strategic framework for managing and regulating migration flows in coordination with development and cooperation with countries of origin.
