Basque Prisons: 379 Jobs at €47,000 Without Euskera Requirement

Basque Prisons: 379 Jobs at €47,000 Without Euskera Requirement

The Basque Government has launched its first major prison competitive examination: 379 positions in the auxiliary staff for penal execution, known as community living agents, with salaries around €47,000 gross per year. The deadline to apply is next Thursday. This is the first selection process the regional Executive has promoted since taking over prison responsibilities in 2021, and it comes with two novelties that have stirred the sector: none of the positions require Euskera and all mandate passing a qualifying physical test, something unprecedented in Basque prisons.

What the Competitive Examination Requires: 95 Exam Points and Three Physical Tests

The process is divided into two phases. The first is the competitive examination: a theoretical-practical test awarding up to 95 points, plus a non-qualifying psychometric test valued at 5 points. Then come the physical exercises, graded as pass or fail, without adding to the score. And here the filter tightens: an agility circuit in 20.5 seconds for men and 24.5 for women, one kilometer in under 4 minutes (4:40 for women), and a bench press of 35 or 25 kilos with a minimum of 23 or 19 repetitions in 45 seconds. Sources consulted point to agility as the most difficult test to pass.

Euskera Adds 14.5 Points But Is Not a Requirement

None of the 379 positions have been profiled. Language proficiency counts as a merit: up to 14.5 additional points, with the detail that a B2, a C1, and a C2 award exactly the same score, and a B1 gets 10.15. The contrast with other regional calls is notable: in the last Ertzaintza (Basque police) competitive examination, the 150 positions were profiled and 120 had a past mandatory proficiency date, meaning the prior qualification was required. In the application phase, professional experience contributes up to 27 points and vocational training courses and qualifications up to 18. University studies do not award points.

ELA Will Challenge the Bases: Discriminatory Euskera and Physical Tests

The ELA union has announced in an internal note its intention to challenge the bases for "not valuing Euskera" and for establishing "discriminatory" physical tests. It also criticizes that the same score is awarded to a B2 as to a C2 and censures the qualifying nature of the exercises. In the subsequent debate, some argue that if Euskera earns points even if not required, it effectively functions as a hidden requirement, while other participants support the physical test as a job-specific demand, and some question why the marks differ for men and women.

Why Civil Servants Are Leaving Basque Prisons

The announcement arises amid staffing problems. Since taking over responsibility, a significant number of civil servants have left Basque centers, taking advantage of transfer competitions to move closer to prisons near their homes. Many came from outside the Basque Country. Prison sources point to another reason: with the end of the ETA threat, labor advantages that Basque prison staff had enjoyed for decades have been eliminated. To fill the gaps, the Basque Government has been creating temporary staff pools since 2022, and according to sources consulted, the number of temporary workers currently employed already exceeds the number of positions offered in this competitive examination. It is expected that a good portion of them will apply to secure a permanent position.

A participant brought up the old jailer's ballad, "Don't be late, I'm dying." For several participants, if Euskera earns points but is not required, the issue is not the requirement itself but how much weight it carries in the final score. The deadline closes on Thursday, and the union's challenge, for now, has only been announced.