Penitentiary Central Services Competition 2026: key deadlines and requirements

Key data

Career civil servants of the General State Administration who aspire to a position in the Central Services of the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions have a window of 15 working days to submit their application. The Resolution of 2 October 2026, published in the BOE of 8 October 2026, activates the process and the deadline runs from that same day.

The competition is of a specific merit-based type, which means that the award of positions depends on the assessment of the merits accredited by each candidate, not on an opposition test. The call also incorporates the principle of gender equality in accordance with the IV Equality Plan of the General State Administration.

What does this regulation establish?

The Under-Secretariat of the Ministry of Interior calls this specific competition to fill vacancies in the Central Services of the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions. The positions announced are organized in two differentiated blocks:

The participation conditions established by the resolution are as follows:

• Be a career civil servant of the General State Administration.
• Be in any administrative situation, except firm suspension.
• Meet all requirements for each position at the time of the deadline for submission of applications.
• Have remained at least two years in the current permanent position, unless within the specific exceptions provided for in the call.

The submission of applications is mandatory electronic through the corporate intranet of the Ministry. Paper submission is only admitted on an exceptional basis.

Economic and operational impact

This competition does not generate direct costs for private companies, but has a relevant operational impact for public bodies and the civil servants affected:

• For civil servants: Failure to submit within the deadline means losing the call. The 15 working day deadline is strict and does not allow late submissions.
• For administrative units: The resolution of this competition will generate personnel movements in the Central Services of Penitentiary Institutions, with the consequent impact on human resources planning of the units of origin and destination.
• For Annex B positions: Their award is uncertain until the first phase concludes, which requires candidates interested in these positions to plan with greater margin of uncertainty.
• Gender equality: The call applies the IV Equality Plan of the GSA, which may influence tie-breaking criteria and the assessment of specific merits related to work-life balance.

Who does it affect?

• Career civil servants of the General State Administration in any active administrative situation (excluding those suspended in firm).
• Civil servants in the penitentiary sector who wish to transfer to the Central Services of the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions.
• Civil servants from other bodies of the GSA who meet the specific requirements of the positions announced.
• HR managers of administrative units that may lose staff if their civil servants are awarded positions.
• Civil servants who have been at least two years in their current permanent position (or who are within the specific exceptions).

Practical example

A career civil servant of the GSA assigned to a provincial penitentiary center, who has been in that permanent position for three years, wants to access a position in the Central Services in Madrid. With the publication of this resolution on 8 October 2026, they have 15 working days to submit their application electronically through the corporate intranet.

If the position they aspire to is listed in Annex A, their application will be assessed in the first phase of the competition and, if awarded, they will obtain a permanent position in the Central Services. If the position is listed in Annex B, it will only be awarded to them if, after the first phase is resolved, that position has remained vacant. In both cases, the civil servant must accredit compliance with all position requirements before the application deadline expires, not at a later time.

What should civil servants do now?

1. Verify compliance with requirements: Check that you have been at least two years in your current permanent position (or that you are within the specific exceptions) and that you meet the specific requirements of the positions you aspire to.
2. Consult Annexes A and B: Review the complete list of vacancies announced in the official text published in the BOE to identify the positions of interest and their type (direct or conditional).
3. Prepare merit documentation: Gather and accredit the merits assessable according to the criteria of the specific competition before the deadline expires.
4. Submit the application electronically: Access the corporate intranet of the Ministry and process the application within the 15 working days from 8 October 2026. Paper submission is only admissible on an exceptional basis.
5. Inform the unit of origin: Communicate to the HR managers of the current unit your participation in the competition, so they can plan the possible coverage of the position in case of award.

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-2026-20937