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If you are planning to move to Spain for work, you must apply for a work visa in Spain. Various types of work permits in Spain are available, with their suitability depending on where you are from, your residency status, and your overall employment situation.
In this article, we will provide an overview of the different work visas available in Spain, their requirements, and the procedures.
European citizens who want to live and work in Spain do not need to apply for a work visa in Spain. This is because Spain is a part of the European Union (EU), and EU citizens do not need a work permit to live and work there.
If you are from outside the EU and planning to carry out some seasonal work in Spain, you will need to apply for the following documentation:
The visa application process is nearly the same as if you were applying for long-term employment. However, there are a few additional requirements:
The EU Blue Card is a residence permit that allows highly skilled professionals from third countries to live and work in Spain. Although this visa is one of the various options, it is one of the more expensive options, costing around €418. Visas seem to be becoming less popular in Europe; in 2020, the number of EU blue cards granted was 67.8% lower than in 2019.
To apply for an EU Blue Card visa in Spain, you must:
To become self-employed, non-EU citizens must apply for a visa to enter Spain. They can apply for a residence permit to extend their stay in the country, and finally, once they are registered as self-employed workers, they can work as freelancers.
Alternatively, Citizens of EU and EFTA member states can work without a work permit in Spain. The process is very easy for these individuals, who can register as self-employed once they enter Spain.
To apply for a self-employed work visa in Spain:
If you have a student residence card, you can legally work up to 20 hours a week while studying in Spain. You must apply for this visa and arrange it for your employer. Unfortunately, if your program is six months or less, you may not be able to obtain a Spanish residency card (TIE), which is the visa that allows you to work in Spain legally.
A Spain Working Holiday visa is a permit work permit for individuals from specific countries visiting on holiday. This visa is valid for a year and is not open to renewal or extension. These visas are open to individuals from the following countries: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, and South Korea, up until the age of 31 years (or 36, depending on the country of application).
Now you are all clued up on the various Spain work visas out there, and who is required to apply for one. it’s time to guide you through the Spain visa application process. This can vary depending on where you are from and the type of work, but the general process is as follows:
The first step to obtaining a Spain work visa is to secure a job offer from a Spanish employer or an international employer based in Spain who is willing to sponsor the visa.
Once you have a job offer, whether it’s an indefinite work contract or temporary, your employer will need to apply for a work permit on your behalf.
This work permit will then need to be approved by the Spanish government before you can apply for a Spain work visa.
Getting an appointment – Once your employer has obtained the work permit, you will need to apply for a Spain work visa in person. Alternatively, if you are in your home country or the country you reside in, you can visit a Spanish embassy or consulate. You may need to book an appointment online, or some places operate on a first-come, first-served basis. To get a quicker appointment, it may be worth hiring some professional help, a lawyer or global mobility agency can usually help to get you an appointment slot at an earlier date, otherwise, you can end up waiting considerable amounts of time.
Attending your Spanish work visa appointment – When you are applying for a Spain work vis, you will need to provide the following documents:
It is important to note that the requirements for a Spain work visa may vary depending on your country of citizenship and the specific details of your job offer in Spain. For example, some countries may require extra documentation such as the following:
To make sure you have all the required documents, we recommend contacting the Spanish embassy or consulate in your home country for specific instructions on how to apply for a Spain work visa.
Step 6 — Waiting for Approval – If your Spanish work visa is approved, it may be indefinite, meaning that you can live, work, and reside in Spain for as long as you want. Or alternatively, it may be valid for a specific time frame, depending on where you are from and the terms of your Spanish work contract. In these cases, you may need to renew your Spain work visa if you plan to continue working in the country beyond the initial period of validity.
We hope this guide helps you understand the different work visas available in Spain, the requirements, and overall procedure. As we mentioned, the processing time can vary, therefore it we recommend applying for your Spain work visa as early as possible to ensure that it is approved in time for your work start date.
If you would like support in applying for a Spain work visa on behalf of any existing or proposed employees, check our guide to the leading employee relocation services in 2023.
Yes. There are a range of visas available in Spain that do not depend on the applicant having secured a job, including youth mobility visas and tourist visas. It is necessary to secure a job, however, before receiving a Spanish work visa.
As the unemployment rate in Spain is quite high, and other EU citizens can work in Spain as of right, it can be relatively difficult for those without existing work rights to secure a job there. However, it does depend somewhat on the industry. For example, it is relatively easy for individuals in software engineering to secure a role.
