867 million for VET workers in 2026: how it is distributed among regions

Key data

In 2026, 867,284,490 euros flow from the State to 16 autonomous communities to finance training actions linked to the National Catalog of Professional Competency Standards. The Resolution of June 23, 2026 from the General Secretariat of Vocational Training publishes the Agreement of the Sectoral Conference on VET for Working People of June 9, 2026, which sets both the territorial distribution and the applicable distribution criteria.

For public managers, training managers in companies, and entities operating as training centers, this resolution determines what volume of resources will be available in each territory and under what conditions they can be accessed during the fiscal year.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution approves the distribution of funds in three differentiated lines, each with a specific destination and volume:

The territorial distribution criteria are set on a three-year basis since 2024 and weight four variables:

• Active population: 75% weight in the calculation
• Dispersion of active population: 10%
• Rate of population without professional qualification: 10%
• Geographic dispersion: 5%

A key element that modifies actual transfers is the discount of unjustified remainders from fiscal years 2023 and 2024. Communities that did not properly justify the funds received in those years see their 2026 transfer reduced. According to the resolution, this mechanism significantly affects Galicia, Madrid, Catalonia, and the Valencian Community.

The Basque Country is excluded from this distribution due to its special tax regime (economic agreement), receiving VET financing through a separate budget application.

Economic and operational impact

The total volume of 867.28 million euros represents the main state financing instrument for vocational training of workers in Spain during 2026. The distribution among the three lines reveals clear priorities:

• Training for the unemployed absorbs 80.3% of the total (696.5 M€), reflecting the system's orientation toward labor reinsertion and requalification.
• Training for the employed represents 16.8% (145.9 M€), aimed at improving employability of those already working.
• Extraordinary actions in public centers account for the remaining 2.9% (24.8 M€).

The discount mechanism for unjustified remainders introduces a penalty variable that can substantially reduce available funds in certain communities. For Galicia, Madrid, Catalonia, and the Valencian Community—which accumulate a significant portion of Spain's active population—this reduction can translate into fewer available training places or delays in calling training actions during 2026.

Who does it affect?

• Autonomous communities (16): Direct recipients of the funds and responsible for managing and calling training actions in their territory.
• Unemployed workers: Primary beneficiary group, with access to financed training to improve their employability and obtain professional competency certificates.
• Employed workers: Can access co-financed training to update or expand their qualification at no cost or reduced cost.
• Public VET centers: Recipients of the 24.8 M€ in extraordinary actions, which can translate into new calls or expansion of training offerings.
• Companies with staff: Indirectly affected, as the availability of training for employed workers determines the supply of subsidized courses accessible to their employees.
• Private training entities: Compete for the execution of contracts and subsidies that autonomous communities call with these funds.

Practical example

A company based in Catalonia that regularly sends its employees to subsidized VET courses for employed workers may find itself in 2026 with a smaller training offering than usual. The reason: Catalonia is one of the communities that sees its actual transfer reduced due to unjustified remainders from 2023 and 2024. This means that, although the theoretical distribution criterion (based on 75% weight of active population) would assign it a proportionally important share of the 145.9 M€ for employed workers, the actual transfer that the Generalitat receives will be lower than that theoretical calculation.

In practice, the training manager of that company should anticipate that calls for courses for employed workers in Catalonia could open later, with fewer places or with tighter budgets, and consider alternatives such as subsidized training through the State Foundation for Employment Training (FUNDAE), which operates through a different channel.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify your autonomous community and its remainder situation: If you operate in Galicia, Madrid, Catalonia, or the Valencian Community, anticipate that the supply of subsidized training for employed workers may be more limited in 2026 due to applied discounts.
2. Review the FUNDAE channel as an alternative: Subsidized training for companies operates through a different mechanism than these territorial funds. If public supply is reduced, bonification of Social Security contributions remains available.
3. Consult your autonomous community's calls as soon as they are published: Autonomous communities will call training actions charged to these funds throughout 2026. Staying alert to deadlines ensures places before they run out.
4. For training entities: Review the specifications and bases of regional calls, especially in communities with larger allocations, to submit competitive proposals.
5. For regional public managers: Verify the exact amount transferred to your community (discounted remainders) to properly plan the training offering for the fiscal year.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source (BOE-A-2026-14479)

Notice: This article is merely informative in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-14479