Many people inquire about how to obtain residence permits that allow them to work in Spain, so here we want to discuss 5 work permits you can obtain in spain in 2024.
Given the vast array of residence permits available through immigration law and regulations, it’s common for people to have many doubts about certain permits. That’s why we’ve created this article highlighting 5 key permits that enable you to work in Spain, whether as an employee or self-employed.
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In this post we cover the following: (click any section to see its content)
5 work permits you can obtain in spain in 2024.
- WORK REMOTELY FROM SPAIN »
- SOCIAL INTEGRATION RESIDENCE »
- INITIAL EMPLOYMENT AND SELF-EMPLOYMENT WORK PERMIT »
- STUDENT PERMIT »
- RESIDENCE AS A HIGHLY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALSTUDENT PERMIT »
- ALL TYPES OF RESIDENCY AVAILABLE IN SPAIN »
- SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A SOLICITOR »
WORK REMOTELY FROM SPAIN:
One of the significant developments in 2023 was the introduction of the digital nomad permit in Spain. This permit, introduced through an amendment to the Entrepreneurship Law, has been highly rewarding.
The digital nomad permit in Spain is intended for individuals who are engaged in work, either as an employee or self-employed, and can perform their duties remotely from Spain. Some requirements include:
- The existence of a real and continuous activity for at least one year by the company or group of companies with which the worker has a labor or professional relationship.
- Documentation proving that the labor or professional relationship can be conducted remotely.
- In the case of a labour relationship, proof of the existence of such between the worker and the company not located in Spain for at least the last three months prior to the application, as well as documentation proving that the company permits remote work.
- In the case of a professional relationship, proof that the worker has a commercial relationship with one or more companies not located in Spain for at least the last three months, as well as documentation detailing the terms and conditions of the remote professional activity.
This visa permits a maximum of 20% of the holders income, to come from Spain itself through Spanish companies
SOCIAL INTEGRATION RESIDENCE:
The first work permit you can obtain in Spain is the Social Integration permit. This is a Residence Authorization for Exceptional Circumstances, granted after residing in Spain for at least 3 years.
This regularization route or permit acquisition has become the main pathway for obtaining a residence permit for all those individuals who are irregularly residing in Spain.
This permit, which grants documentation to work and reside in Spain, is awarded to individuals who have resided in Spain for at least 3 years, who are integrated in the commmunity, have no criminal or police records, and usually have a job offer.
Similarly, the Social Integration permit can be requested when the foreign citizen wishes to start a self-employed activity or has their own financial means.
It is also worth highlighting that the Social Integration permit, as mentioned, can be obtained with a job offer or a business plan to start a new venture.
INITIAL EMPLOYMENT AND SELF-EMPLOYMENT WORK PERMIT:
Employment as an Employee
This is an Initial Work and Residence Permit for Employment as an Employee and is a permit which is designed for a foreign citizen to come to Spain with an employment contract and carry out that work activity in Spain.
When an employer wants to hire a foreigner who is outside of Spain, they must first publish that job offer on the Spanish Public Employment Service, to see if there is anyone in Spain who can fill that job vacancy, and if not, obtaining a negative Certificate from the Public Employment Service stating that there is no one in Spain who can fill a job vacancy, for example as a waiter, is practically impossible, given the current unemployment rate.
This requirement to publish the job offer is waived for nationals of Chile or Peru (Spain has a specific Agreement), for foreigners who meet any of the cases under Article 40 of the Immigration Law, or for individuals who can fill a position listed in the Difficult-to-Fill Jobs Catalog.
Why is the Initial Employment Permit only processed for some of these groups? Due to the National Employment Situation.
Those that can be included, include:
- Family members reunited in working age, or the spouse or child of a foreigner residing in Spain with a renewed authorization, as well as the child of a naturalized Spanish citizen or citizens of other Member States of the European Union and other States party to the European Economic Area, provided that the latter have been legally residing in Spain for at least one year and the child is not subject to the community regime
- Being a child or grandchild of a Spanish national by origin
- A worker who has held work permits for seasonal activities for two calendar years and has returned to their country of origin, etc.
Therefore, this type of permit has been limited to certain jobs and certain individuals.
Initial Residence and Self-Employment Work Permit
Residence and Work Permit for Self-Employment can be a good alternative for coming to work in Spain. This permit can be requested by all foreigners who wish to carry out self-employed activities in Spain.
This particular permit is processed at the Spanish Consulate, and among the requirements to meet are:
- Having the financial means to start the business and to sustain oneself in Spain
- A business plan detailing the self-employed activity to be carried out in Spain
- Meeting the general requirements demanded for any authorization or permit in Spain, such as having no criminal record, not being prohibited from entering Spain, and not being listed as rejectable in the territorial space of countries with which Spain has signed an agreement to that effect, possessing the required professional qualifications or accredited experience, etc.
As you can see, this type of permit is intended for individuals who have the economic capacity to start a business and the required professional skills.
STUDENT RESIDENCE PERMIT:
Since the reform of the immigration regulations which took place in August 2022, the student card has become a very good avenue for being able to work in Spain.
You already know that the Study Stay is a permit for studying and training in Spain, but in addition, if you undertake specific training, your student card will allow you to work up to 30 hours per week, and that work is compatible with your studies.
The studies associated with this permit would be:
- higher education studies
- formal training for employment or aimed at obtaining a professional certification
- training leading to obtaining technical certification or professional qualification necessary for the practice of a specific occupation
Additionally, once you have completed and passed your studies, you can modify your permit to a residence and work authorization either for employed or self-employed work.
RESIDENCE AS A HIGHLY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL:
This Residence Authorization as a Highly Qualified Professional.
This permit, regulated by the well-known Entrepreneurship Law, has the following characteristics:
- The National Employment Situation is not taken into account.
- It can be processed for individuals who are legally in Spain or for workers who are outside of Spain.
- It is for managerial personnel or Highly Qualified individuals.
- The worker must carry out a qualified activity and receive a corresponding salary. In this case, the Large Enterprises and Strategic Collectives Unit requires that the salary be around €40,000 annually.
- The worker can come with their family at the same time that they are granted their Residence Permit as a Highly Qualified Professional.
These are the 5 key permits offered through the immigration law includes a multitude of authorizations and permits to come to Spain and work. Therefore, to assess your specific case, it is best to contact a specialist to review your case in detail and the real options you have for working in Spain.
If you need to carry out any immigration procedures or if you want to submit your application for Spanish nationality, rely on a team of experts in the field. Click-here » and we will contact you to start as soon as possible.
ALL TYPES OF RESIDENCY AVAILABLE IN SPAIN:
- Golden-Visa Spain (residence in Spain by investment)
- Non-Lucrative visa Spain (Spanish visa non lucrative)
- Self-Employed visa Spain (self employed expats in Spain)
- Digital-Nomad visa Spain (remote worker in Spain)
Please see-here our video-blog with options and legal-advice to obtain residency in Spain.
Remember that immigration procedures and immigration regulations change regularly, so it’s crucial to stay updated with the latest information from reliable sources. If you have specific questions or concerns about your situation, it’s advisable to consult with immigration authorities or legal professionals specializing in immigration matters, to do this, please click-here »
DO YOU REQUIRE ASSISTANCE TO APPLY FOR RESIDENCE OR CITIZENSHIP IN SPAIN?
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Permanent residency is obtained after 5 years of Spanish Residency through Self-Employed Residency, Digital-Nomad, Non-Lucrative Residency or Golden-Visa. This followed by 5 years as a permanent resident in Spain and means you can then obtain Spanish Citizenship with a Spanish Passport.
