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Andorra is a small jurisdiction with a tightly managed labour market, and background screening usually sits alongside an immigration and work authorisation process that is the bigger hurdle for most employers.
What employers can check
Identity, right to work, employment history, and academic qualifications are all routinely verified. Criminal record checks are accepted where the role justifies them, and are expected in financial services, private security, education, healthcare, and positions involving children or vulnerable people. The banking and finance sector applies particularly close scrutiny given its regulatory obligations.
The criminal record certificate
Candidates obtain a certificat d’antecedents penals, the Andorran certificate of criminal records, from the government’s justice service. Residents apply directly. Anyone who has lived elsewhere will usually be asked for an equivalent certificate from their previous country of residence, translated and legalised. Foreign nationals applying for an Andorran residence and work permit are generally required to produce one as part of the immigration file, so it often exists before the hiring decision is finalised.
Data protection obligations
Screening is governed by Andorra’s qualified law on the protection of personal data, overseen by the Andorran Data Protection Agency. The framework closely follows the GDPR, and Andorra holds an EU adequacy decision, so the principles will feel familiar to anyone hiring elsewhere in Europe. Collect only data relevant to the role, be transparent about the purpose, keep it secure, and delete it once that purpose has passed.
Consent and proportionality
Ask for written consent before starting, and be ready to explain why each check is necessary for the specific job. Credit checks, health information, and social media screening all need a stronger justification than basic identity or qualification checks, and blanket screening of every applicant is difficult to defend.
A practical note
Because work permits are quota based and tied to a named employer, build screening time into the immigration timetable rather than treating it as a separate step. Employers without an Andorran entity often use an employer of record to manage both together.
