MITES: The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration
MITES is the government department in charge of Spain’s social security system. That includes pensions, autonomo cuotas, maternity and paternity leave, and access to healthcare. It also oversees migration policy, asylum procedures, and social inclusion programs.
If you’re registered as an autonomo, MITES is the ministry behind many of the rules you follow and the systems you pay into. You probably won’t interact directly with the MITES website, however, you will interact with its programs:
Social security registration: When you first register as self-employed, you enrol in Régimen Especial de Trabajadores Autónomos (RETA) through Social Security, which a process governed by MITES.
Monthly cuota payments: Your monthly contribution to the system is set and managed under MITES’s authority.
Benefits access: Sick leave, parental leave, disability, and even cese de actividad (if you shut down your autonomo business) all come through the Social Security system, which is part of MITES.
Digital systems: MITES manages the Importass portal, where you can view your contributions, update personal details, and manage your autónomo profile online.
SEPE: The Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal also falls under MITES. It manages unemployment benefits (paro), retraining programs, and job search tools. While it’s not the main agency most autónomos deal with, you may use it in extraordinary circumstancs.
While you won’t usually deal with MITES directly (you’ll use the Seguridad Social website or go through a gestor), it’s the ministry behind many of the key decisions that affect your entitlements and obligations.
