Full C2 Proficiency Required for Teacher Recruitment

The Generalitat de Catalunya has announced that a C2 level of Catalan will be mandatory for all candidates applying for teaching positions through competitive examinations in 2027. This represents the highest level of language proficiency under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, indicating full mastery of the language. The requirement will apply to all teaching recruitment processes for pre-primary, primary, and secondary education in the upcoming academic cycle. Candidates must either present an official C2 Catalan certification or pass a specific test to demonstrate equivalent competence, as outlined in Article 36 of the 2024 language regime decree.

Although the C2 requirement was first established in the 2009 Catalan Education Law (LEC), it has never been enforced. Until now, candidates needed only a C1 level, automatically awarded to those who completed compulsory secondary education (ESO) in Catalonia, while C2 certification counted as an additional merit. In 2022, the ERC-led government sought to activate the C2 rule with a 2024 target, but implementation was delayed to prioritise teacher staffing stability and due to a legal freeze imposed by the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) on parts of the 2024 language decree. However, in September 2025, the TSJC annulled only certain sections of the decree, leaving Article 36 intact and lifting the suspension on the C2 requirement.

A step forward to ensure that all teachers in Catalonia have the C2 level of Catalan, as set out in the 2009 Education Law.

Next Steps and Sector Consultation

The Generalitat has not yet officially published the call for the 2027 teaching oppositions. The measure is due to be presented to the education sectoral board with union representatives on Thursday 12th November 2026. The competitive examinations are currently forecast to take place in March 2027. Further details on transitional arrangements, testing procedures, and certification acceptance will be released in the coming weeks via the official education language guidelines.

Sources: Ara.