Merit Competition at the Ministry of Labor 2026: deadlines and requirements for civil servants

Key data

Career civil servants of the General State Administration have a new opportunity to change positions within the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy. The Resolution of July 2, 2026 from the Under-Secretary, published in the BOE on July 14, 2026, convenes a specific merit competition to fill budgeted vacancies listed in the annexes of the resolution.

The deadline for submitting applications is 15 business days from that date, and the procedure is entirely electronic through the Funciona Portal, with mandatory digital certificate. Those who do not meet the minimum permanence requirement or submit the application outside the deadline will be excluded from the process.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution convenes a specific merit competition for the provision of vacant and budgeted job positions in the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy. The specific positions and their characteristics are listed in the annexes of the resolution published in the BOE.

The essential elements of the competition are as follows:

A relevant aspect is that requirements must be met at the close of the application submission period, not on the publication date. This means that a civil servant who completes 2 years of permanence during the application period could become eligible to compete, provided they prove it at the time of closure.

Economic and operational impact

This competition does not generate direct costs for private companies, but it does have relevant operational implications for the Ministry of Labor units and for the civil servants participating:

• For civil servants: Obtaining a new position may involve changes in specific allowance level, position allowance and, where applicable, relocation compensation if the position involves a change of location.
• For administrative units: Filling budgeted vacancies improves operational capacity, but resolving the competition involves a transition period in which positions may remain temporarily unfilled.
• Position linked to the Recovery Plan: The temporary position linked to the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan has limited duration. Those who obtain it must bear in mind that their continuity in that position is conditioned by the Plan's duration, which may imply new forced mobility in the future.
• Gender equality: The incorporation of criteria from the AGE's IV Equality Plan may influence merit scoring, especially in tie situations or assessment of equivalent profiles.

Who does it affect?

• Career civil servants of the General State Administration in active service or in any compatible administrative situation (voluntary leave, special services, etc.), except those with current firm suspension.
• Civil servants who have been in their current definitive position for at least 2 years at the close of the deadline, or who are covered by one of the limited exceptions provided for.
• Units and management of the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy that have vacant positions announced in the annexes.
• Civil servants participating in projects linked to the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, given that one of the positions announced has temporary duration linked to said Plan.

Practical example

A civil servant from the General Administrative Corps of the AGE who has been in their current definitive position for 2 years and 3 months in a Provincial Delegation wants to apply for a position in the central services of the Ministry of Labor in Madrid.

Steps they must follow:

1. Verify that their administrative situation is not current firm suspension: meets the requirement.
2. Check that they have been in their current definitive position for more than 2 years at the close of the application deadline: meets the requirement.
3. Access the Funciona Portal with their digital certificate and locate the announcement BOE-A-2026-15321.
4. Review the annexes of the resolution to identify the announced positions that match their corps, scale and level.
5. Prepare documentation proving the specific merits required and submit the application electronically within 15 business days from July 14, 2026.

If the position they are applying for is the temporary one linked to the Recovery Plan, they should consider that their continuity in that position is conditioned by the Plan's duration, which could imply new mobility in the future.

What should civil servants do now?

1. Verify compliance with the permanence requirement: Check that you have been in your current definitive position for at least 2 years at the close of the application deadline (15 business days from 14/07/2026). If not met, check if you are in one of the limited exception cases.
2. Consult the annexes of the resolution: Access the full text in the BOE (BOE-A-2026-15321) to identify the announced positions, their specific requirements, levels and locations.
3. Prepare your digital certificate: The application is entirely electronic through the Funciona Portal. Without a valid digital certificate it is not possible to submit the application.
4. Gather merit documentation: Compile the specific merits required for the positions of interest, in accordance with the competition's assessment criteria, including gender equality criteria from the AGE's IV Equality Plan.
5. Submit the application within the deadline: Do not wait until the last day. The deadline is 15 business days from 14/07/2026. Applications submitted outside the deadline will not be accepted.
6. Assess the temporary position from the Recovery Plan: If applying for the temporary position, keep in mind that continuity in that position is conditioned by the duration of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only 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-2026-15321