EMPLOYMENT
*The full text of this article is available as PDF below.
Foreign citizens wishing to engage in gainful or professional activity or employment, must meet the following requirements:
– Being over the age of 16, except for self-employment, in which case it is necessary to be over 18.
– Obtaining the corresponding prior authorization to reside and work in Spain. This authorization must be requested by the employer offering the labour contract.
– Obtaining a visa once the residence and work authorization has been issued.
What must a foreign worker do when arriving in Spain?
– Register in the corresponding Social Security scheme.
– Apply for a foreigner identity card.
Citizens of the European Union and their family members, provided that the latter travel with or meet said citizens, are subject to a specific legal system based on the rights recognized in the Treaties.
You can check all the information in this link:
Citizens of EU and European Economic Area (EEA – EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) member states and Switzerland can come to Spain and work freely, without the need for a work permit. Everyone outside the EU/EEA states and Switzerland will need a residence visa, as well as a valid Spanish work permit. Read more about work visa requirements in our guide to Spanish work permits.
You will also need to get your NIE number from a police station with a foreigner’s department, plus register with the national tax office Agencia Tributaria on your arrival to pay Spanish taxes.
If you are going to be an employee, the employer will apply for the work permit through the Dirección Provincial de Trabajo, Seguridad Social y Asuntos Sociales. Once the work permit has been granted then you can apply for a residence Spanish visa to come to Spain for work.
If you are going to be self-employed, then you must apply for a work permit yourself at the Spanish consulate in your home country. Read more about starting a business or self-employment and freelancing in Spain.
If you don’t speak Spanish, besides working for a multinational company, jobs in Spain for English speakers include tourism, real estate, teaching English and services aimed at expats. For other types of employment, you will usually need to speak Spanish. There are numerous language schools in Spain where you can brush up your skills.
Make sure your professional qualifications are recognised in Spain by contacting the Ministry for Education and Culture and Sports; see the requirements for verifying regulated professions.
You can find out whether your profession is regulated in Spain (ie. needs specific qualifications for you to be able to practise it), by checking on the European Commission’s database.
You’ll also need to get any professional references translated into Spanish – don’t forget to bring them with you when you move. Consider getting a Europass, which puts your personal details, qualifications and skills into a standard format.
EURES:If you’re from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you can search for jobs in Spain on the EURES (European Employment Services) website. EURES is a job portal network maintained by the European Commission which is designed to facilitate free movement within the European Economic Area.
The Public State Employment Service (Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal) or SEPE has information on vacancies, training courses and advice on job seeking. You can also search jobs at Empleate, a government job portal.
The Autonomous Communities (different regions in Spain) also have employment offices nationwide – look in the phone directory or on SEPE website for local addresses. You can also check Sistema Nacional de Empleo for local employment offices and job vacancies.
There are many job websites for finding work in Spain, including specialised sites for certain professions.
Jobs in Spain such as: Eurograduate – the European Graduate Career Guide: search multinational companies for graduate opportunities. iAgora.com, Primer Empleo, Spanish-language: Bolsadetrabajo, Expansión y Empleo: employment news as well as jobs Infoempleo.com, InfoJobs, Oficina Empleo, beBee, Monster, Busco Jobs, Indeed…
Recruitment agencies tend to deal with temporary jobs in Spain; click to view our listings of recruitment agencies in Spain. Empresas de Trabajo Temporal (ETT) hire workers directly and then assign them to other companies who will oversee the work itself, otherwise you can check which agencies are registered. Besides some agencies listed above for specialist professions, another private employment agency offering temporary and permanent work includes Adecco.
Although Spanish national, regional and provincial newspapers will advertise job vacancies daily, most jobs are advertised in the Sunday editions. To see the latest online vacancies, see newspapers of each autonomous community, also has a job website.
There are specific job programmes on both TV and radio, for example Aquí hay trabajo is broadcast on TV Mondays to Fridays at 9.45am on Channel 2 (RTVE) and also lists jobs on their webpage.
Networking in Spain: Lots of jobs aren’t advertised openly in Spain and many positions are filled through word-of-mouth or personal contacts. So spread the word that you’re looking for work in Spain (tell friends and family already living in Spain if you’re not), network with others in similar fields, and join work-related groups, forums and networking sites, such as LinkedIn.
Some business networks include: Spanish Chamber of Commerce (Camara de Comercio): Spain’s largest business network with local chambers across the country, networking events and business support. Guiri Business; Professional Women’s Network Spain; Aseme (women, mainly Madrid), Costa Women, Make contact with Spaniards and other expats with similar work or personal interests through a meet up group near you – if there isn’t one, you can start your own.
Submitting a speculative application (cover letter and CV) can be very effective in Spain. Make sure your letter is addressed to the right person. Follow up with a phone call (if your Spanish is up to it) or email. You can search the company’s website for contact details, or check Kompass Spain’s large database of company details. You can look at company websites for vacancies. You’ll usually find the vacancies under the heading ecursos humanos (human resources), empleo (employment) or trabaja para nosotros (work for us).
The EU offers traineeships for university graduates via the European Commission Traineeships Office (Bureau de Stages), otherwise internships or summer placements can be arranged by AIESEC (for students and recent graduates) or IAESTE (for students in science, engineering and applied arts). Interships can also be found at Europlacement and Intern Abroad. For those aged between 17 and 30, volunteer programs are arranged by the European Voluntary Service (EVS), where you work abroad for up to 12 months in exchange for board, food, insurance and a small allowance. Concordia is another organisastion for volunteer opportunities. Diverse volunteers taking a selfie together
Once you’ve found a suitable job, you will then need to prepare your application. You should adapt your CV and cover letter to the Spanish job market, and learn how to conduct yourself in a job interview to avoid any cultural blunders. For more information, read our article on applying for a job in Spain.
The organisation of working time in Spain (maximum working hours, rest time, annual holidays, public holidays, paid leave and overtime) is regulated by law, and the working day is regulated by agreement between workers’ and employers’ organisations or in contracts.
Some key rules are as follows: Full-time workers in Spain must average a maximum of 40 hours per week of work, calculated on an annual basis. Workers can’t work for more than nine hours a day unless an agreement is in force. Employees under 18 can only work for eight hours a day across employers, including training. Working hours can be distributed unevenly if a collective agreement is in place.
Spanish employment contracts can be in writing or verbal, though the latter is very unusual. Contracts are sent to the Public State Employment Service within 10 days of coming into force.
The minimum working age in Spain is 16, though permission from parents or guardians is required up to 18 years of age, unless the person is legally emancipated. When you start a job, you may need to work a probationary period of up to two or six months, depending on your job. Contracts in Spain must include: Name of both parties, address of the company, Start date, job title, details of working hours; Basic salary and supplements, and details of when they’re paid (monthly, weekly, etc.); Number of days holiday and, where applicable, how holiday dates are determined; Notice period; Specifics about the job role.
Indefinite contracts don’t establish a time limit and may be drawn up verbally or in writing for full or part-time agreements.
Temporary contracts may be drawn up in the following circumstances:
These may be agreed with workers aged over 16 and under 21 who lack the qualifications required to draw up a work experience contract.
Some groups may be employed under the terms of a training agreement even though they are over the age limit. This contract must run for at least six months but cannot be longer than two years.
The following requirements must be fulfilled to enter into this contract: The worker must possess University or Vocational Training qualification, or equivalent; The studies must have been validated in Spain within the last four years (six for disabled workers); Work experience contracts must run for at least six months but cannot last for longer than two years.
The duration of these contracts may be indefinite or fixed. In both cases, they must always be drawn up in writing, specifying the place where the services are provided and the duration of the working day.
Employers must comply with the requirements and procedures laid down in labour legislation when making changes to contracts.
The worker has the right to terminate his contract if changes are to their detriment and, in such a case, is entitled to receive 20 days’ compensation for each year worked (maximum of nine monthly payments).
A worker may be asked to perform duties of higher or lower categories than those for which they were recruited. If the duties are of a lower category, the worker must retain the wage for the job carried out previously. If they are of a higher category, the worker must receive the wage corresponding to that category. If duties in a higher category are carried out for periods in excess of six months in a year or eight months in two years, the worker is entitled to ask for promotion.
Where you can find help with your CV and Job searching:
– We have like in Barcelona: SAIER: DescriptionThe procedure allows you to request a day and time to be attended to the SAIER. The appointment is especially designed for people who will come to the SAIER for the first time and want to consult on the following topics: a) Arriving and Living in Barcelona: Information on the basic formalities like the register, the nursery school, the access to the medical care, the learning of languages, other basic formalities and services and resources of the city from Barcelona. It also provides information on social care for newly arrived immigrants. Note: To know the offer of Catalan courses you do not need an appointment, you can go to the SAIER directly. b) Information on immigration and obtaining Spanish nationality: Legal advice and processing of documentation such as: rooting, residence and work permits, family reunification, renewal of the NIE, student permits, community permits, processing of the Spanish nationality, etc. Information on other matters of civil, family and criminal law related to immigration is also provided, and appeals are handled in case of refusals. c) Information on international protection: Information on the procedures and aid, guidance and legal assistance in matters of international protection, social assistance for applicants for international protection. d) Recognition of studies, access to training and employment insertion: Information and advice for the approval and validation of studies carried out abroad. Recognition of professional competences. Information on courses and advice on all levels of training. Guidance for job search and job placement. e) Information on voluntary return to country of origin: Information on voluntary and alternative return programs, and referral to management entities and other specialized services.
The procedure also allows you to consult the requested appointment or cancel it.
