Barcelona's International Welcome Desk, a municipal service for international talent, assisted over 1,300 individuals in 2025, marking an 8% increase from the previous year, according to Barcelona City Council. This growth solidifies the service's position as a primary point of contact for professionals in strategic sectors, even without the activity linked to America's Cup teams from the two preceding years.
The Welcome Desk aims to help international talent settle in Barcelona. It supports those looking to start businesses, conduct research, work in highly skilled positions, or pursue university studies, helping them achieve their full professional and personal potential in the city. Over its first four years, the service has reached 4,450 users, providing 17,175 services to people from 130 nationalities.
Who Uses the Service?
The typical user of the Barcelona International Welcome Desk is under 30 years old, making up 52.3% of users. Nearly all users, 97.4%, have university degrees, and the majority, 65.7%, come from outside the European Union. Between 2024 and 2025, there was a notable increase in researchers among the total number of people served, alongside a rise in users holding master's or doctorate degrees.
Many users are enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate university programmes, accounting for 33.4%. Another 16.7% are employed as researchers at universities or research centres, while 16.5% hold qualified professional contracts with companies in the city. The percentage of users with master's or postgraduate qualifications has risen to 51.4%, and those with doctorates to 13.1%.
Users primarily seek information on priority procedures upon arrival, such as access to education, healthcare, or housing. There is also high demand for advice on immigration and tax matters, as well as support for processing residency certificates and the idCAT digital certificate.
Accessing Support and Future Plans
Appointments with the Welcome Desk can be made in advance, either in person at its office in the Mediatic building in 22@, or online via video call. The online option has allowed 15% of users to contact the Welcome Desk from their home countries before arriving in Barcelona. The in-person service is complemented by the Barcelona International Welcome municipal website, available in three languages. This site offers practical information about the city, essential arrival procedures, and an events calendar designed to help international talent integrate into city life.
These figures were shared during the annual meeting of entities connected to the International Welcome Desk. Representatives from Barcelona City Council and Barcelona Activa, the service's promoters, attended. Also present were institutional representatives and figures from Barcelona's business, technology, and innovation ecosystem, including the Government Sub-delegation in Barcelona, Barcelona Global, 22@Network Barcelona, Acció, the Mobile World Capital Barcelona Foundation, Tech Barcelona, BIOCAT, Barcelona Health Hub, and the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology.
