Elma Saiz anuncia la firma de un nuevo Convenio de Seguridad Social entre España y EEUU para favorecer la movilidad laboral
26/01/2024
Travel to the USA
Elma Saiz announces the signing of a new Social Security Agreement between Spain and the US to favor labor mobility
Topics:
- The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration advances, at the Spanish Embassy in Washington DC, the main innovations of the agreement, which extends the period of travel until 7 years
- “The aim is to encourage the transit of insured workers in both countries, thus stimulating bilateral economic activity,” he said.
- Elma Saiz also has a talk with Spanish students at Georgetown University, to whom she details the support of the Government with measures such as the General Directorate of Spanish Citizenship Abroad and Return Policies
- “Europe looks to Spain in migration policies, but I have been proud to see that the US also looks to Spain, has applauded our leadership and has asked that we continue to be partners with the countries around us,” says Elma Saiz
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The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, has advanced in Washington DC, where she is on an official visit, the signing of a new Social Security agreement between Spain and the United States, which will be signed in the coming days.
The first bilateral agreement was signed in 1986 and has been in force since 1 April 1988. According to Saiz, “the objective is to promote the mobility of insured workers in both countries, thus stimulating bilateral economic activity.”
The main innovations, as he has detailed, affect the calculation of Spanish pensions, which will be more beneficial when two calculations are made (a first one only with contributions in Spain and a second one adding to these the contributions in the United States, finally paying the most beneficial to the citizen). This new text also improves the calculation of the regulatory basis and the period of posting, extending to 7 years (5 years of initial posting plus 2 years of extension for both employed and self-employed workers). In addition, the Regime of Passive Classes of the State is incorporated.
The population of Spanish nationality residing in the United States amounts to 192,766 people, according to the Register of Spanish Residents Abroad (PERE) as of January 1, 2023. It is the third largest, after that of Argentina and France.
Satisfactory balance of the three days of official visit
The announcement was framed in a press conference with media at the Embassy of Spain, where he took stock of the agenda in Washington DC between January 23 and 25.
“I would like to highlight the highly positive assessment and the great reception with which they have been received, by all the bodies with which I have met, the Spanish circular migration policies and the complementary routes to resettlement associated with a labor contract,” he said. They are measures, he added, “that provide a great guarantee by promoting the employability and inclusion of migrants.”
The Spanish delegation has held meetings these days with the Undersecretary of the Department of State, Richard R. Verma; with the National Security Council (NSC) of the White House, with the advisor of Joe Biden, Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall; and with the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas.
Meetings have also been held with important organizations such as the American Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Institute of Migration Policy and the Organization of American States.
“We are clearly committed to a regular, orderly, safe migration based on humanitarian principles, which requires the collaboration of all the actors involved: countries, administrations, Third Sector entities and NGOs,” said Saiz.
Hours before, the minister had the opportunity to chat and share reflections with a group of Spanish students at the University of Georgetown, where she has been received by the visiting professor and professor Prince of Asturias Juan Luis Manfredi.
The minister has conveyed to them the Government’s interest in the Spanish community in the US. Proof of this, he said, is the reinforcement of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration with a General Directorate of Spanish Citizenship Abroad and Return Policies. It is responsible, among other functions, for the management of subsidy and aid programs aimed at Spaniards abroad and returnees, as well as the recognition and management of economic benefits and assistance.
“We focus on the return plan, with measures to attract talent to Spain. Like the young students, women entrepreneurs, heads of scientific institutions, banks and global funds with whom I had the opportunity to talk yesterday in the embassy,” he said.
“I leave the United States satisfied with the good harmony and the shared analyses and reflections. For the recognition of our country project and for the hospitality”, concluded the minister.
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