Free Appointment at the Undersecretary 2026: What Civil Servants Should Know

Key data

The Undersecretary convenes the provision of certain job positions through the free appointment system, according to the Resolution 430/38253/2026, of May 12, published in the BOE on May 20, 2026. This mechanism allows the Administration to directly select from qualified civil servants to fill positions of special responsibility or trust, without following the ordinary merit competition procedure.

For civil servants with a management profile or high responsibility in the General State Administration, this call represents a concrete opportunity for mobility or promotion. The key is to verify the requirements of each position and act within the established deadline.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution regulates the provision of job positions through the free appointment system, which differs from merit competition in a fundamental aspect: the Administration is not obliged to follow a scoring order, but can freely choose among candidates who meet the minimum required requirements.

The key elements established by the resolution are:

• Provision system: Free appointment, applicable to positions of special responsibility or trust within the Undersecretary.
• Participation requirements: Each position has specific conditions that the civil servant must meet to be able to submit an application.
• Procedure: The resolution sets the complete process, including the method of submitting applications and necessary documentation.
• Deadlines: Specific deadlines are established for submitting applications, as set out in the call text.
• Justified discretion: Although the convening body has broad freedom to select, it is obliged to justify its appointment decision.

This system is commonly used to fill positions of sub-direction, area management or units of special sensitivity within the ministerial structure, where institutional trust carries decisive weight.

Economic and operational impact

For civil servants, free appointment has direct implications in terms of career and compensation. Positions convened under this system usually correspond to higher remuneration levels, with specific supplements and higher destination allowances than base positions.

From an operational perspective, there are two aspects to consider:

• For candidates: Application preparation should focus on demonstrating suitability for the position profile, not just accrediting general merits. The motivation of the application carries significant weight.
• For affected units: Filling these positions through free appointment means that the hierarchical supervisor has the ability to configure their management team with greater flexibility than through ordinary competition.

The resolution does not specify the exact number of positions or specific levels in the available data, so interested parties must consult the full text published in the BOE to learn the details of each convened position.

Who does it affect?

• Career civil servants who meet the specific requirements of the positions convened by the Undersecretary.
• Civil servants with a management profile interested in positions of special responsibility or trust within the General State Administration.
• Civil servants in active status seeking mobility towards positions of greater level or responsibility.
• Human resources managers in public organizations, who must be aware of the impact of these calls on their staffing planning.

Practical example

A civil servant from the Senior Corps of State Civil Administrators, currently assigned to a sub-directorate general, discovers that among the convened positions there is an area management position in the Undersecretary that fits their profile and experience.

The process they must follow is as follows:

1. Verify that they meet the specific requirements of the position as they appear in the resolution (group, corps, minimum destination level, required experience).
2. Prepare their application highlighting their suitability for the position profile, since in free appointment the motivation of the application is decisive.
3. Submit the application within the deadline established in the call.
4. If selected, the convening body will issue the justified appointment resolution. If not selected, they can request to know the reasons for the decision.

This example illustrates that, unlike merit competition, in free appointment the merit record is necessary but not sufficient: suitability for the trust profile of the position is the decisive factor.

What should civil servants do now?

1. Consult the full text of the resolution in the BOE (BOE-A-2026-10823) to identify the convened positions, their specific requirements and the deadlines for submitting applications.
2. Verify compliance with requirements for each position of interest: group, corps, minimum destination allowance level and any other specific requirement indicated in the call.
3. Prepare the application documentation, placing special emphasis on the motivation letter and justification of suitability for the position profile.
4. Submit the application within the deadline established in the resolution. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
5. Monitor the process through the BOE and official ministry channels to learn about the appointment resolution.

Official source

Resolution 430/38253/2026, of May 12, from the Undersecretary

Published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on May 20, 2026

Reference: BOE-A-2026-10823

Access the full resolution