Strike at Alicante's Immigration Office Due to Staff Shortages and Surge in Applications

The situation at Alicante's Immigration Office is critical. The lack of staff and the surge in new applications are causing a service collapse, exponentially increasing the days required to process applications.

The situation has reached a "critical point," according to Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), who have called for a strike on May 19 from 12:30 to 14:30 nationwide. Immigration workers in Alicante will gather in front of the Government Subdelegation in Plaza de la Muntanyeta to protest the lack of staff and the "alarming" increase in waiting times for foreign services.

Unions warn of the "work overload and poor management" at the Immigration Office. Specifically, in Alicante, the situation is alarming, with a significant staff shortage hindering service.

According to union sources, out of a total of 98 positions, only 58 are filled. Around 40 vacancies prevent a fast and efficient service, as the average processing time for applications soared to 84 working days in 2024, the longest among provinces with high migrant intake, surpassing Madrid, Barcelona, or the Balearic Islands.

CCOO warns that the new Immigration regulation, effective May 20, will worsen the crisis and criticises the Government's inaction, "allowing already overwhelmed offices to face a new wave of applications without sufficient staff to handle them."

In this regard, the union demands "the urgent appointment of interim civil servants to fill all vacant positions, salary improvements, and decent conditions, as well as the immediate reform of the application management system to prevent unacceptable blockages and delays."

"The legal strike on May 19 is a wake-up call against administrative neglect. Citizens cannot continue to endure this deterioration of public service, and public employees cannot continue working under undignified conditions. It's time for the authorities to act before the system completely collapses," unions argue.