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Last updated: October 2026
The Regional Government of Castile and León has announced a 2026 non-refundable grant that covers the employer's Social Security contributions for the first year when hiring a woman aged 18 to 30 in a sector where women make up less than 40% of the workforce. It also covers young women who register as self-employed in these sectors. There is €200,000 available, subject to increase, distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and the deadline is November 6, 2026process.
In this article, you will find exactly what the grant covers, which sectors are eligible, the requirements for both the company and the employee, what happens if the contract does not last 24 months, and when it makes sense for a startup or SME to apply.
The grant to promote entrepreneurship and the hiring of young women in fields with female underrepresentation is a direct grant from the Second Vice Presidency of the Regional Government of Castile and León. Its terms are set out in Order FAM/447/2024 of May 15, and the 2026 call for applications was approved by resolution on October 16, 2026.
What does the Castile and León grant for hiring young women cover?
The grant funds the equivalent of the employer's Social Security contribution for the first year from the date of registration, minus any applicable discounts that already apply to that contract. This is a non-repayable grant that does not need to be returned if the conditions are met. It does not cover salary, incorporation expenses, or investment.
There are two eligible actions:
- Hiring as an employee: registration in the General Social Security Scheme for a female worker aged 18 to 30, with an indefinite, full-time contract, for a workplace in Castile and León.
- Self-employment registration: registration in the Special Scheme for Self-Employed Workers (RETA) for a woman aged 18 to 30 who will carry out her activity in Castile and León.
The amount is calculated based on the 2026 contribution bases and rates (Order PJC/297/2026) and can never exceed the actual cost of the action. Therefore, there is no fixed figure per file: it depends on the salary of the person hired.
Which sectors are included in the call?
Only sectors where women aged 18 to 30 make up less than 40% of affiliations in Castile and León are included, according to the Annex of the call (CNAE 2025). The list changes depending on the modality:
- Hiring as an employee: agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishing; mining and quarrying; manufacturing; energy; water, sanitation and waste; construction; transportation and storage; telecommunications, computer programming, consulting and computer infrastructure; administrative and support service activities; other services.
- Self-employment registration: those mentioned above (except for other services), plus trade; publishing, broadcasting and content production; financial and insurance activities; real estate activities; and arts, entertainment and recreation.
The hospitality and professional, scientific and technical activities do not appear in neither of the two lists. For the tech ecosystem, what matters is the section K: a tech startup with a workplace in Castile and León that hires a junior developer or consultant is not excluded based on its sector.
Who can apply for the grant and what are the requirements?
Applications can be submitted by companies and self-employed individuals with up to 500 employees and a workplace in Castile and León.The registered office does not need to be located there. Public universities, local entities, and other public bodies are excluded. The company must be up to date with its tax and social security obligations and meet the quota for hiring people with disabilities (or provide proof of exemption).
The call for applications excludes several cases that you should review before hiring:
- Hiring partners or members of the management board of the company or its group, or their relatives up to the second degreeprocess.
- Internship contracts and training and apprenticeship contracts.
- Hiring a woman who already works in a sector with less than 40% female representationThe grant rewards entering the sector, not changing jobs within it.
- Self-employed women must have deregistered as self-employed in the previous year. Additionally, they must be registered as residents in Castile and León for at least one year prior to registrationprocess.
How much funding is available, how is it distributed, and what is the application deadline?
The budget for 2026 is €200,000 and the call for applications declares it extendable. It is awarded directly, in the order of receipt in the electronic registry, starting from the moment the file is complete. There is no scoring system. If the Regional Government requests corrections, you have 10 days to provide them, and in the meantime, the file does not move forward in the queue. Those who apply late may find that the funds have been exhausted.
The application period runs from the day after the summary is published in the BOCYL until November 6, 2026. Eligible registrations are those made between October 1, 2025, and November 6, 2026, so a hiring made within the last year can be submitted now if it meets the requirements. The Regional Government has three months to issue a decision; if there is no response, the application is considered denied.
Applications must be submitted electronically via the website of Castilla y León Online Services (tramitacastillayleon.jcyl.es), using a digital certificate, under the procedure "Grants to promote entrepreneurship and the hiring of young women between 18 and 30 years of age in professional fields where women are underrepresented."
Is it compatible with Social Security bonuses?
Yes. The call for applications expressly allows it to be combined with Social Security contribution bonuses and reductions, such as those regulated by Royal Decree-Law 1/2023 on hiring incentives. However, the subsidy is calculated based on the contribution remaining after those bonuses are applied, so you are not paid twice for the same euro.
It is incompatible with other subsidies that have the same purpose and cover the entire project. For companies, it also counts as de minimis aid (EU Regulation 2023/2831): it must be added to all other de minimis aid received in the last three years, with a limit of €300,000process.
What is the risk of committing to maintaining employment for 24 months?
The aid covers one year of contributions, but it requires maintaining the registration for 24 months. If the company does not maintain it, or includes the employee in a furlough (ERTE) for suspension or reduction of working hours during that period (unless requested by the employee), it must repay the entire subsidy with late-payment interest. If the employee leaves voluntarily or is terminated for a reason not attributable to the company, the repayment is partialprocess.
The justification is also spread out over time. At 12 months after registration, you have three months to provide proof of paid contributions. At 24 months, you have another three months to prove that the registration has been maintained. For a startup, the real risk lies in committing to a fixed salary for two years before having the traction to pay for it.
When does it make sense for a startup or SME to apply for this grant?
It makes sense when the hiring was already in the plan: a company based in Castile and León that is going to bring on a junior profile in programming, consulting, industry, or construction reduces its first-year costs without changing its plan. If the hiring is moved forward just to capture the aid, the savings from one year of contributions rarely cover the risk of maintaining the position for two years.
Regional grants of this type can supplement cash flow at a specific moment, but they do not build the financial foundation that a growing company needs.
At Intelectium, we treat hiring incentives as part of the hiring and treasury plan. Before signing a contract, we review three things: whether the person and the sector meet the call requirements, how much of the contribution remains after bonuses, and whether the cash flow can support the position for 24 months in a conservative scenario.
For a female entrepreneur or a startup with female leadership in a digital or technological project, the most significant instrument is the ENISA Digital Entrepreneursline: participatory loans of between 25,000 and 1.5 million euros, with no additional guarantees and terms of up to nine years and national reach. We explain this in detail in our ENISA Digital Entrepreneurs guide.
What concrete steps should an interested company take now?
- Check your CNAE in the Annex. The list for employees and the list for self-employed individuals are different.
- Check the worker's profile: between 18 and 30 years old at the time of registration, with no corporate or family ties, and no prior employment in a sector with less than 40% female representation.
- Formalize a full-time permanent contract at a workplace in Castile and León.
- Prepare the documentation: a report calculating the employer's contribution for the first 12 months, the contract, a document verifying the CNAE, and the payslip for the month of registration.
- Submit it via Tramita Castilla y León before November 6, 2026, with the complete file, and mark the 12-month and 24-month justification milestones on your calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a company based outside of Castile and León apply?
Yes, if it has a workplace in Castile and León and the worker provides their services there for the 24-month period. The call for applications does not require a registered office in the region. In the case of self-employed individuals, it is required to be registered as a resident in Castile and León for at least one year prior to registrationprocess.
Is it compatible with Social Security bonuses?
Yes. The call for applications declares them compatible, but the grant is calculated on the contribution remaining after applying any bonuses. It is incompatible with other grants for the same purpose that cover the entire action.
How much money does each beneficiary receive?
The equivalent of the employer's Social Security contributions for the first year from the date of hiring, excluding any subsidies. The amount depends on the salary and the 2026 contribution rates. The total credit is €200,000, which can be increasedprocess.
Can I apply for a hire that has already been made?
Yes, provided the hiring took place between October 1, 2025, and November 6, 2026, and all other requirements are met.
What happens if the employee leaves before 24 months?
If the departure is voluntary or not attributable to the company, you must repay part of the grant. If the company does not maintain the employment or includes the employee in a temporary layoff (ERTE) involving suspension or reduced hours, you must repay the full amount plus late payment interestprocess.
What alternatives are available for female-led startups?
The ENISA Digital Entrepreneurs line offers participatory loans of between 25,000 and 1.5 million euros with no additional collateral and terms of up to nine years. For projects with an R&D component, the CDTI NEOTEC is another option with a higher amount and national scope.
Shall we help you fit it into your hiring plan?
If you are planning to hire in Castile and León in the coming weeks, we will review with you whether the position meets the call requirements and what it means for your 24-month cash flow. Through our Outsourced CFO service, we integrate these types of incentives into your hiring plan and cash flow forecast. Let's talk.
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