The end of mobility restrictions from the pandemic came in 2022 and saw the SAIER regain figures from before 2020. The service attended to 21,000 people, some 17% more than the previous year, and carried out 75,800 formalities or actions, a rise of 18%. The number of people requesting international protection was also higher than the number of other users with or without papers, largely as a result of the crisis in Ukraine.

Support for people arriving from Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has displaced huge numbers of people as they flee insecurity. An estimated 17,000 people have come to Barcelona. The SAIER has attended to 3,340 of them, in addition to a further thousand for whom priority support was provided, with primary assistance and resources.

Since the conflict erupted, the SAIER has been a key facility for informing people arriving from Ukraine about the steps they need to take and providing them with support for reception processes. The service has provided referrals and guidance on the resources available to these people.

More resources for the SAIER

The Care Service for Immigrants, Emigrants and Refugees is set to move to a newly constructed building early in 2024. The new premises offer 1,900 square metres of space in C/ Tarragona, in addition to the existing facilities. This will enable the SAIER to provide better service, with more staff and a bigger budget to strengthen aspects such as the provision of pre-paid cards, shorter waiting times for users, better initial reception for groups and more.