Empleo Joven Programme

The high levels of youth unemployment observed both in Europe and in Spain in recent years show the seriousness of the socioeconomic situation facing the group of young European people and the importance for both Public Administrations and for the society as a whole take the appropriate measures to successfully face this challenge.

The European Council, in its Conclusions on the multiannual financial framework of 8 February 2013, decided to create the Youth Employment Initiative for the period 2014-2020, with the aim of supporting the measures proposed by the European Commission on 5 December 2012. This initiative was created with the aim of financing youth employment measures in those European regions with youth unemployment rates above 25 %.

The Spanish State, following the European recommendations, established the National Youth Guarantee Plan, which includes a common catalogue of actions being developed by the agents involved in the Youth Employment Operational Programme (POEJ in Spanish).

Within the framework of the Youth Employment Initiative and the Youth Employment Operational Programme (POEJ), ”la Caixa” Foundation has been designated the Intermediate Organisation of the POEJ for the period 2014-2020.

On 20 June 2017, the European Council confirmed the increase of the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) by €1.2 billion for the period 2017-2020. Of this additional amount, Spain was allocated €418,164,435 for this period, which has been supplemented by an equivalent allocation from the European Social Fund. The resulting additional amount (€836,328,870) has been incorporated into Area 5 of the Operational Programme for Youth Employment in the modification approved by the European Commission Decision of 18 December 2017.

For this reason, within the framework of Thematic Objective 8: Promoting sustainability and quality in employment and promoting labour mobility, ”la Caixa” Foundation has launched the fourth Youth Employment call to continue encouraging the creation of stable, good quality employment for young people and contribute to reducing youth unemployment in Spain.

As in previous calls, this new call aims to be a direct aid to companies and organisations to achieve this objective, in turn boosting business activity and, ultimately, economic growth.

With funds totalling €2,100,000, jointly financed by the European Social Fund, the Youth Employment Initiative and ”la Caixa” Foundation, a grant scheme has been set up to support the employment of young people (aged over 16 and under 30) registered with Spain's National Youth Guarantee System, whose aim is to benefit the largest possible number of unemployed young people.

The application period for grants will begin on 22 November 2022 and will end when the credit available in the call has been completely allocated or, if not, on 31 March 2023 at 7 pm, subject to the following conditions:

Indefinite contracts, maximum aid of SIX (6) months, with a minimum period of stay of SIX (6) months.

Maximum aid: €4,800.

€2,100,000 for fixed amounts of aid, up to a maximum of €4,800 per contract.

Period the expense can be subsidised: from 22 November 2022 to 31 December 2023, both inclusive.

You can access the private area to start and manage applications through the Empleo Joven call website.

Aid aimed at companies, including self-employed entrepreneurs, associations, foundations and other non-profit organisations, for the recruitment of young people registered in the National Youth Guarantee System (SNGJ). Specifically:

Aid for a maximum of SIX (6) months for indefinite contracts, with a minimum period of stay of SIX (6) months.

Maximum aid: €4,800 (6m).

Any person who has knowledge of facts that could constitute fraud or irregularity in relation to projects or operations financed totally or partially with funds from the European Union may report these facts to the National Anti-Fraud Coordination Service (SNCA) of the General Intervention of the State Administration, by electronic means through the channel set up for this purpose by this Service on the website of the Ministry of Finance and Public Function under the terms established in communication 1/2017, of 3 April, of the aforementioned Service (PDF, 4,91 MB).

In addition, and provided that, exceptionally, the use of the aforementioned electronic means is not possible, the facts may be brought to the attention of the National Anti-Fraud Coordination Service on paper by sending the documentation in a sealed envelope to the following postal address:

Servicio Nacional de Coordinación Antifraude.
Intervención General de la Administración del Estado.
Ministerio de Hacienda y Función Pública.
Calle María de Molina 50, planta 12.
28006 - Madrid.

If a communication is made to the SNCA, either electronically or by post, please send a copy to ”la Caixa” Foundation so that, as the Intermediate Organisation of the Youth Employment Operational Programme, it can follow it up, to the following address:

Fundación ”la Caixa”
Departamento de Auditoría interna
Av. Diagonal, 621-629, torre 2, planta 6
08028 Barcelona