Argentina to launch new test for 40,000 state staff; failure means 'fired'

The nature of this suitability test is not known yet. Argentina's Javier Milei administration has been aggressively cutting government spending and has fired 50,000 employees since December

The Argentina government on Thursday announced that it would introduce a new “suitability” test for nearly 40,000 state employees on temporary contracts, stating that those who fail the assessment will be terminated from their jobs.

According to a report by the Buenos Aires Times, the move comes as the Javier Milei administration undertakes massive budget cuts in an effort to achieve a zero fiscal deficit. The exact nature of the test is not yet known.

Argentina Presidential Spokesperson Manuel Adorni said that the test would form part of a broader process where state employees would declare potential conflicts of interest and undergo a medical examination. Through this test, the government aims to establish “standards” for civil service employees. The test will be mandatory for all state employees with contracts expiring on December 3.

Sweeping economic reforms in Argentina

During a press conference on Thursday, Adorni stated that the exam would be conducted digitally. “It will be a necessary but not sufficient requirement since, of course, the renewal or not of a contract will be defined by the usual parameters of whether the person deserves the renewal,” he added, noting that the exam would be conducted in December.

In the initial phase, disabled workers will not be included in the evaluation due to a lack of system infrastructure. The Argentine government has been implementing a series of changes since August, including stricter policies on late arrivals and absences.

The reforms also include mandatory evaluations for promotion eligibility. So far, thousands of contracts have been terminated. The Women, Gender & Diversity Ministry and Education Ministry are the most affected by these sweeping reforms.

In June, Milei stated that his government had slashed 50,000 jobs and planned to make further reductions.

Notably, Argentina entered a recession in the first quarter of the year due to severe spending cuts and is struggling with triple-digit annual inflation at 209 per cent. The situation has resulted in protests across the country.

Milei was elected president in November last year.