Penitentiary positions contest 2026: key guidelines for civil servants

Key data

Civil servants who work or wish to work in penitentiary centers and associated services have a new opportunity to change or access positions within the penitentiary sector. The Resolution of May 6, 2026 from the Under-Secretary calls a general merit contest for the provision of job positions in the Peripheral Services of the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions.

This process is relevant for those seeking a change of position or wishing to access new positions within the Spanish penitentiary system. The contest is governed by the general regulations for position provision in the General State Administration, which implies a regulated process, with specific requirements per position and deadlines that must be strictly observed.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution calls a general merit contest to fill vacant positions in the Peripheral Services of the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions. The key elements of the process are as follows:

Each advertised position has its own requirements for body, scale and level. Civil servants must verify that they meet the specific requirements of the position they wish to apply for before submitting their candidacy.

Economic and operational impact

This contest does not generate direct costs for private companies, as it is an internal process of the General State Administration. However, it has relevant operational consequences for participating civil servants and affected penitentiary centers:

• Civil servant mobility: Positions filled through this contest imply changes of position for awarded civil servants, with consequent impact on their personal and professional situation.
• Vacancy coverage: The Peripheral Services of Penitentiary Institutions will be able to fill vacant positions, improving their operational capacity.
• Human resources planning: Affected penitentiary centers must manage changes resulting from new staff arrivals and departures.
• Deadline compliance: Interested civil servants must strictly adhere to the deadlines and forms for submitting applications established in the resolution, as non-compliance results in exclusion from the process.

Who does it affect?

This call directly affects the following groups:

• Civil servants who wish to change their current position to a position in the Peripheral Services of Penitentiary Institutions.
• Civil servants who wish to access for the first time a position in the penitentiary sector, provided they meet the required body, scale and level requirements.
• Human resources managers of penitentiary centers and peripheral services, who must manage movements resulting from the contest.
• Civil servants currently working in penitentiary centers and associated services, who may be affected by the arrival of new colleagues or the departure of current ones.

Practical example

A civil servant from the Management Body of the Civil Administration of the State who currently works in a provincial delegation wishes to transfer to a position in a penitentiary center in their autonomous community. To participate in this contest, they must:

1. Consult the list of advertised positions in the Resolution published in the BOE and verify that there is a position that matches their body, scale and level.
2. Check that they meet the specific requirements of the position they wish to apply for (body, scale and level required).
3. Prepare the documentation proving their merits in accordance with what is established in the call.
4. Submit their application within the deadlines and in the manner indicated in the resolution, as submission outside the deadline results in automatic exclusion from the process.

If the civil servant meets the requirements and their merit score is sufficient, they may be awarded a position in the Peripheral Services of Penitentiary Institutions, with the consequent change of position.

What should civil servants do now?

1. Consult the complete resolution on the BOE (BOE-A-2026-10344) to identify the advertised positions and their specific body, scale and level requirements.
2. Verify compliance with requirements for each position you wish to apply for, checking the body, scale and level required.
3. Prepare merit documentation in accordance with the criteria established in the call and the general regulations for position provision of the General State Administration.
4. Submit the application within the deadline and in the correct manner as indicated in the resolution. Submission outside the deadline or in incorrect format results in exclusion from the process.
5. Monitor the process through the BOE and official channels of the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions to learn about the provisional and final resolution of the contest.