Canarian Government announce assistance for the self-employed

The Canarian Government has announced that it will cover social security contributions for the self-employed (autónomos) for up to two months of temporary incapacity.

Economy Minister Manuel Domínguez said “We’ve all heard people saying that a self-employed person can’t afford to be sick because they still have to pay their contributions; we want to change that”.

The regional executive will also subsidise interest rates on loans for “productive investments”, aiming to promote modernization, growth, and financial stability for the self-employed. “This measure will allow the self-employed to undertake projects to improve, expand, and digitize their businesses at a lower financial cost, facilitating access to credit on more advantageous terms,” said Domínguez.

These measures will be accompanied by the Concilia programme, which will help self-employed workers in family situations such as pregnancy and care of children and other dependents.

Domínguez said that the Canarian Government sought to “promote self-employment in our region because in the Canary Islands, where 90% of businesses are SMEs, the concept of self-employment must be considered differently than in the rest of Spain.”