Barcelona International Welcome Desk assists over 1,200 people in 2024

Barcelona International Welcome Desk, the city council's service for foreign talent handled over 1,200 requests in 2024, a slight increase on the previous year. 

In its three years of operation, the service has reached 3,142 users and provided a total of 11,629 services to people of 123 nationalities. 

2023 saw a significant leap in scale compared to the first year of operation in 2022. 

According to data from Barcelona City Council, the typical profile of users is under 30 years old (47%), with university education (95%), and from the European Union (58%). 

Between 2023 and 2024, the proportion of researchers among the total number of people assisted almost tripled, making them the third-largest group served. 

The main motivations users cite for coming to Barcelona are to work in a high-skilled position (29%) and to pursue undergraduate or postgraduate studies (28%). 

The types of services most requested include information about the city and the main procedures to complete upon arrival, advice on immigration matters, and registration with the municipal census. 

Assistance to users is provided by appointment, in person at the Welcome Desk office located in the Media-TIC building in the 22@ district, and also online via video call.  The latter has allowed 15% of users to contact the Welcome Desk from their home country before arriving in Barcelona.