Andorra cuts General Immigration Quota to 800 permits for foreign workers

Quota cut tightens standard work permits

Andorra has set its 2026 General Immigration Quota at 800 new residence-and-work and frontier-worker permits, down from 900 in 2025. The cap includes 624 standard resident permits and 176 frontier-worker permits, with room for a 30% expansion if the government authorizes it.

The lower quota mainly affects applicants tied to a local job contract or cross-border work status. Digital nomads, investor residents and other special permits run under separate rules, though those routes are facing their own residency and housing checks.

Who feels the squeeze

Foreign workers who need an Andorran employer are the most exposed, especially non-EU, non-EEA applicants with no prior local work history. Local reporting says they now face a 6-year professional experience requirement in some cases, while employers in tourism, construction and hospitality are warning of worker shortages.

Tourists and short-stay visitors aren't part of the quota system. The tighter cap instead applies to people seeking standard employment-based residency or frontier-worker status, so competition for those permits is likely to be sharper once the quota fills.

What applicants should line up

Applicants for residence-and-work permits need a local job offer, clean background checks and the right paperwork before approval. Authorities have also added stricter pre-screening, including checks on legal entry into the Schengen area and renewed emphasis on actual time spent in the country.

Remote workers should look at the separate D.3 digital nomad residence track, which follows its own quota and rules. For the latest permit changes and related residency updates, see our visa updates and read our full Andorra guide for the complete picture.