Spain's A1 Civil Service Exams: Vacant Posts and Low Pay

A1 Civil Service Exams: Unfilled Posts and Inadequate Salaries

Recruitment exams for senior bodies within the General Administration of the State (AGE) are leaving posts vacant. This is not an urban legend: in some calls, after years of study, candidates fail en masse or simply do not show up. The paradox, according to candidates themselves, is that the problem is not a lack of applicants, but an explosive combination of sprawling syllabi, salaries that cannot compete with regional governments and municipalities, and the burden of moving to Madrid on a wage that does not cover rent.

The result is an absurd funnel. Posts are advertised, few apply, and ultimately half or more remain empty. Meanwhile, those who pass discover that an A1 civil servant in the AGE can earn half what their counterpart earns in a regional government, as reported by candidates. The uncomfortable question lingering is: Is it really easy to become a civil servant in Spain? The short answer is no. The long answer is that the system is so poorly designed that even those who want to join often fail.

Sprawling Syllabi and Intimidating Exams

The first barrier is the syllabus. Candidates describe a volume of material that borders on the unmanageable, with legislative clutter accumulating call after call. It is not just about memorizing: one must recite topics, develop exercises, and compete against people who have been preparing for years. An A1 candidate reports that this year they removed one of the seven exams—the hardest, requiring essay-style answers—and reduced the time for oral recitation from 20 to 15 minutes per topic. The question is whether this facilitates access or merely masks the problem.

The lack of regular recruitment cycles worsens the bottleneck. If there are no exams every year or every two years, paying for a prep academy and studying for years for a single opportunity becomes Russian roulette. Some argue this is the true reason for unfilled posts: it is not that nobody wants them, but that the calendar is a lottery. Meanwhile, trainers for the Tax Agency (Hacienda) and Labor Inspection warn that the level of incoming candidates is dropping, and that these bodies will deteriorate significantly in the coming years.

AGE Salaries: Half of Regional Government Pay

The second barrier is economic. According to several participants, salaries in the AGE are the lowest among all public administrations. A C1 or C2 employee in Madrid may earn €1,200 or slightly more, insufficient to pay rent in the capital without owning property. The difference compared to a municipality or regional government can be €10,000 to €15,000 gross annually. For A1 bodies, we are talking about earning half or less than in a regional government. That is why candidates prefer to study for regional or municipal exams, where salaries are better and the cost of living is lower.

The third barrier is geographic. Most AGE posts are located in Madrid, where the cost of living is high relative to wages. For someone from outside, securing an AGE post means moving to Madrid on a salary that does not cover rent. Some solve this by targeting regional or municipal exams, where pay is better and life is cheaper. Others choose internal promotion from lower categories, but this requires time and stability.

Why Are Posts Vacant Despite Having Candidates?

The paradox is that there are candidates, but not enough qualified ones. In some calls, such as for state engineers, posts have remained vacant for several rounds because everyone fails. It is not that there are no candidates; it is that the bar is too high or the exam is so poorly designed that nobody passes. One A1 candidate explains that although there are 3 or 4 applicants per post, half or more always remain unfilled. He himself has failed twice and is attempting a third try without guarantees.

The other side is that of those who pass. A colleague secured an A1 post this year and noted there were 45 engineer vacancies. In other words, posts exist, but they are filled very slowly. Meanwhile, the State resorts to interim staff who have passed only the first exam, though it often prefers to leave posts empty. This is a patch solution that does not address the root problem: an access system that neither attracts nor retains talent.

The Exam Filter: Merit or Punishment?

Some defend that the current system, despite its flaws, is the least bad option. One candidate argues that it is more likely for someone without connections and humble origins to enter the civil service under this model than through interviews, where nepotism would be rampant. Job security is a strong incentive, and one strategy is to start with exams having smaller syllabi and then seek internal promotion to A1 or A2 levels. Thus, the system is harsh, but at least it is clean.

Others hold the opposite view: that the system is rotten and exams are being made easier so that less prepared new generations can pass. The reduction in exams and recitation times would signal a lowering of standards. Meanwhile, posts remain vacant. The conclusion is that the issue is not whether it is easy or difficult, but that the system design does not fit labor market realities or candidate expectations.

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With these conditions, migration to Madrid should be massive. Yet it remains marginal. No one fully understands why. The cautious prediction is that unless salaries are corrected and recruitment cycles are regularized, unfilled posts will remain the norm. And those who pass will earn less than regional civil servants. So no, becoming a civil servant in Spain is not easy. It is, rather, a labyrinth.