Canary Islands' Health Authorities Cancel Long-Standing Nursing Assistant Recruitment Process

The Canary Islands' health authorities have officially canceled a long-standing recruitment process for nursing assistants initially launched in November 2019. This decision comes after new national legislation aimed at reducing temporary employment in public health services, which mandates a comprehensive 'stabilization' process for temporary staff.

Despite hundreds of spots already allocated—1,501 for nursing assistants alone—these positions will now be incorporated into a broader, legally mandated stabilization plan, overriding the previous selective recruitment procedures.

Context and Legal Framework

This move aligns with recent legal rulings, including a Supreme Court decision emphasizing that only specific laws can justify withdrawing candidates once applications are open.

As a result, health authorities decided to suspend the old process and include its vacancies within the new, merit-based contest planned under the Ley 20/2021, which aims to make public sector jobs more stable.

Implications and Goals

The cancellation clarifies the government’s focus on aligning staffing practices with national reforms, ensuring fairer, more transparent hiring in the future.

"The move emphasizes the importance of reducing job insecurity among public health workers and ensuring they meet updated legal standards."

While delayed, this shift emphasizes the importance of reducing job insecurity among public health workers and ensuring they meet updated legal standards.

The decision underscores the government’s commitment to reform but also highlights the complex balancing act between legal compliance and maintaining established recruitment expectations for residents and expats alike in the Canary Islands health system.