Lleida City Council has opened its Single Office for the 2026 agricultural campaign at Mercolleida, with the first phase running during the first half of June. The service is designed to give seasonal farm workers a dignified welcome, better coordination and access to jobs in Lleida.
The office will move to Fira de Lleida in the second half of June. This year it also includes a new labour intermediation service, which will link temporary workers with agricultural companies and other economic and social agents to help fill vacancies and manage other professional profiles.
Carlos Enjuanes, deputy mayor and councillor for Social Action and Innovation, said the office brings together social care, information and referrals to services. It also coordinates with the healthcare system and with accommodation and employment resources. The initial location at Mercolleida overlaps with municipal procedures for migrant regularisation, so both spaces will share the site for two weeks.
The support system has been expanded for 2026 with backing from the Generalitat de Catalunya and Lleida Provincial Council. It includes 32 new places at CATemporers in Creu del Batlle, in the Caparrella area, alongside 100 places at Pavilion 3 of Fira de Lleida and about 90 places in EMAU flats across 16 properties. Four emergency reception places are also reserved at the Jericó Foundation for highly vulnerable situations.
The Single Office began operating on 1 June. People referred to Fira de Lleida will start staying there on the night of Wednesday, 3 June, for seven days, with possible renewals based on social assessment. At Fira de Lleida, the service includes luggage storage, meals, laundry and showers, with laundry and showers also available to people who are not staying overnight. These services will remain active until 31 August.
The 32 places at CATemporers and the 90 EMAU housing places are mainly for people with employment contracts, with stays linked to the length of their work. Referrals will be made according to need. Referrals to CATemporers will continue until 31 August, while EMAU housing will operate throughout September. The Seròs accommodation, which opened in May, will keep 40 places available until September, managed by the Government Delegation and the Regional Council.
Recent data show that most people assisted are adult men, with an average age of 35. The council says this helps shape the resources it provides. The system relies on coordination with social organisations, public bodies and local agents, including the Catalan Employment Service, the agricultural business sector and the third sector. The council says this network is key to combining reception, employment support and social inclusion.
