At 25, Enrique Casado Carnero secured a place in Spain’s Cuerpo Superior de Inspectores de Hacienda del Estado after just 20 months of preparation. Many candidates spend years preparing for the demanding competitive examination. Casado’s discipline and focus helped him finish third nationwide, information from EL ESPAÑOL Noticias de Castilla y León.
A native of Valladolid, Casado graduated in Law and Business Administration from the University of Valladolid. He initially planned to enter the private sector, but a chance encounter with working inspectors and time to reflect before graduation led him to reconsider. By September 2024, he had committed fully to preparing for the Inspector of Hacienda examination, a decision that reshaped his daily life.
Unusual Success in a Grueling Competition
The 2024-2025 selection process drew nearly 1,700 applicants, while 75 candidates ultimately secured places, according to figures cited in reporting on the competition. The examination board’s demanding standards left many advertised vacancies unfilled. Spain’s Ministry of Finance publishes public-sector examination calls and related recruitment information through its dedicated employment portal.
Casado’s achievement stands out for the pace of his preparation and his ranking. He received confirmation of his success on June 19, earning the third-highest score in Spain. The selection process combines written and oral examinations with practical exercises and language tests. It covers law and accounting, along with financial mathematics and foreign languages. In 2026, Democrata reported that the Association of State Tax Inspectors argued changes to recruitment should preserve the rigor of competitive examinations and objective assessment.
Discipline and Sacrifice
Casado’s preparation had two distinct phases. In the first year, he balanced studying with sports and made time for family, friends and his partner. As the first written examination approached in September 2025, his study time rose from eight or nine effective hours a day to 11 or 12. In the final months, he reached as many as 14 hours daily.
He says the uncertainty between each stage, rather than the examinations themselves, was the most challenging part. Candidates often received results only days before the next test, forcing them to keep studying without knowing whether they would advance.
Life Beyond the Exam
Casado gave up football and tennis during the final stretch but continued running to manage stress and maintain his mental ability to recover. He credits regular exercise with helping him endure the intense preparation period.
With the examinations behind him, Casado’s next step is the mandatory training course at the Instituto de Estudios Fiscales in Madrid, which lasts up to 12 academic months. His high ranking gives him priority when choosing his first assignment, although many of the most sought-after posts are in Madrid or Barcelona. He says Valladolid will always be his reference point.
Casado also stresses the importance of the Inspector of Hacienda’s role in upholding the law and combating tax fraud. As he prepares to move to Madrid in September, he looks ahead with satisfaction at reaching a major key stage through discipline and determination.
The Inspector of Hacienda examination is widely regarded as one of Spain’s most challenging public-sector competitions. Success demands strong academic preparation, mental ability to recover over time and personal sacrifice.
