Free appointment in Public Administration 2026: which positions are being called and how to apply

Key data

The General State Administration activates a new process for the provision of job positions by free appointment through the Resolution of 22 April 2026 from the Under-Secretary's Office, published in the Official State Gazette on 29 April 2026. This mechanism applies to positions of special responsibility or trust, and opens a window of opportunity for civil servants who meet the requirements established in the annex of the call.

Unlike merit competition, free appointment grants the calling body a discretionary selection capacity, although always limited by the constitutional principles of merit and capacity. This means that simply meeting the requirements is not enough: the trust profile and suitability for the position also count.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution regulates a process for the provision of job positions through the free appointment system, one of the two main mechanisms for provision of positions in the Spanish civil service, alongside merit competition.

The key elements established by the call are as follows:

• Provision system: Free appointment, which allows the calling body to select discretionarily among candidates who meet the required requirements.
• Type of positions: Positions of special responsibility or trust within the Administration.
• Specific positions: Detailed in the corresponding annex of the resolution published in the Official State Gazette. It is essential to consult it to learn about denominations, levels and requirements.
• Deadlines and application methods: Established in the call itself. Interested civil servants must submit their applications within the deadlines and methods indicated in the resolution.
• Limits to discretion: Although the calling body has broad freedom of choice, this is limited by the principles of merit and capacity recognized in the legal system.

Free appointment also implies that holders of these positions may be dismissed discretionarily, which distinguishes this system from ordinary competition and links it to positions of a managerial or institutional trust nature.

Economic and operational impact

For civil servants, accessing a position by free appointment usually means a change in salary level and responsibility. The positions called under this system correspond to positions of special responsibility, which generally implies specific and destination supplements higher than the average of the body.

From an operational perspective, the affected administrative units must manage the selection process with agility, given that the vacancy of a trust position can have a direct impact on the organization's operations. The discretionary nature of the system allows these vacancies to be filled more quickly than an ordinary merit competition.

For candidates, the opportunity cost is relevant: applying for a free appointment requires preparing documentation proving the requirements and, in many cases, a report or action plan for the position. Failing to do so within the deadline established in the annex means losing the call until the next resolution.

Who does it affect?

• Career civil servants who meet the specific requirements of the positions included in the annex of the resolution.
• Human resources units of the organizations with positions called, responsible for managing the process of receiving applications and proposing a resolution.
• Managerial bodies of the General State Administration with positions of special responsibility or trust vacant included in the call.
• Civil servants currently in voluntary leave for personal interest who wish to return through this system, if they meet the position requirements.

Practical example

A civil servant from the Civil Administration Management Body who meets the level, group and specialty requirements for one of the positions included in the annex of this resolution can submit their application within the deadline established in the call.

Once the application is submitted, the calling body will evaluate all candidates who meet the formal requirements. Since this is free appointment, the body is not obliged to select the candidate with the most objective merits: it can choose the profile it considers most suitable for the trust position, as long as it justifies the decision within the principles of merit and capacity.

If the civil servant is selected, they will take office in the new position within the deadlines established by the appointment resolution. If in the future the body decides to dismiss the holder, it may do so discretionarily, which is an inherent characteristic of this provision system.

What should civil servants do now?

1. Consult the annex of the resolution in the Official State Gazette (reference BOE-A-2026-9305) to identify the specific positions called, their denominations, levels and required requirements.
2. Verify compliance with requirements for each position of interest: group, body, destination supplement level, specific qualifications or other requirements listed in the annex.
3. Prepare the application documentation within the deadlines and methods established in the call. Failure to submit the application within the deadline results in automatic exclusion from the process.
4. Check if a report or project is required for the position, a common practice in free appointment positions at managerial level, and prepare it with sufficient advance notice.
5. Consult with the human resources unit of the destination organization if you have any doubts about the requirements or the application submission procedure.

Official source