Barcelona Ciutat Refugi Ajuntament de Barcelona

The increase in activity comes within the context of the transformation of migratory flows and the adaption to regulatory changes, particularly with the new regulations in the act on foreigners that came into effect in May 2025. Given this reality, the SAIER has strengthened its response capacity and consolidated a comprehensive support model that combines initial reception, specialised advice and networking with organisations and municipal services.

Comprehensive local support

To provide an efficient response to the growing increase in demand, access to the SAIER is organised through reception teams that offer initial orientation and assess the needs of each person before referring them to the most suitable resources.

This level of assistance is mainly channelled through the Primary Attention and Information Service (SPAI), tasked with initial interviews, informing people about the resources available in the city and scheduling appointments with specialised services. In addition, the Immigrant Guidance and Support Service (SOAPI) became part of the SAIER in 2024 and guarantees more local assistance in the city’s districts and neighbourhoods, facilitating territorial coordination. The SOAPI attended to 4,221 people in 2025.

The SAIER also has a Translation and Interpreting Service (STI), which allows it to offer support in different languages and guarantee a better understanding of the procedures and resources available for newly arrived people.

Specialised guidance

Of all those who received support, 15,723 received specialised advice (63% of users). This assistance includes legal support relating to the act on foreigners, social support, labour and training orientation, and support relating to international protection.

New headquarters to improve coordination

One of the most notable changes in recent years has been the concentration of specialised services at the new SAIER headquarters, located at C/ Tarragona 173. Since November 2024, these premises have allowed the service to offer more comprehensive support and better coordination between the various teams of professionals.

In parallel, the service maintains its collaboration with the Barcelona Linguistic Normalisation Centre to facilitate the learning of Catalan among the foreign population and continues to manage the municipal Nausica programme, which offers residential assistance and support for migrants and those applying for or receiving international protection and who need more intensive support to achieve their autonomy.

Adaptation to new migration challenges

The analysis of the figures for 2025 highlights the capacity of the SAIER to adapt to a changing migratory reality and continue to offer specialised support based on proximity, the defence of rights and joint work with the city’s associations and institutions.

With over 25,000 people attended to and an increase of 19% compared to the previous year, the SAIER strengthens its role as a gateway to reception and inclusion services in the city, consolidating its role as a municipal reference point providing assistance and support for migrants and refugees.