Those who are from the EU do not need to make an application for a work permit when moving to Spain. It is possible to simply enter the country and just register with the national employment office (instituto nacional de empleo) so that you can begin looking for a job, so it is not necessary to have a firm job offer in place before you move to the country. Those who are not from the EU need to have a work permit in place as well as a visa before they are able to move to the country on a permanent basis. Work permits are usually issued within a few weeks of application, but waiting times may vary depending upon which office the application has been made to.

In order to apply for a work permit it will be necessary to contact the foreigner’s office (oficinas de extranjeros) or the local office of the Ministry of Labour. If you are not yet in the country the application can be made to the Spanish embassy in your home country. The decision on whether or not to issue the permit remains with the employment office.

There are two categories of person applying for a work permit. One is for employees and the other is for those who wish to be self employed. For both there is a certain amount of documentation required. Employees should have a copy of a valid passport, a certificate showing a criminal record check from their home country, a medical certificate, several passport-sized photographs, details of a tax registration number in Spain (NIE), the social security details of the prospective employer, details of the firm offer of employment which has been made and it may also be necessary for the employer to prove their solvency status.

The self employed need to present all the same personal documentation but alongside details of the business that they want to run while they are in Spain. It will also be necessary to give information on professional qualifications to prove that you are able to conduct the business that you want and it may be a requirement that you need to apply for licenses to carry out your trade. A self employed applicant may also be periodically asked for other information by the authorities.

There are different types of work permit that can be issued. For employees there is a Type A permit which is intended for temporary or seasonal work. This is issued for a maximum period of 9 months. A Type B permit is in two parts. The first is the initial permit which allows a worker to be in a specific profession and region for up to one year. The renewal gives them another two years and allows for more varied work types. The Type C work permit is reserved for those who have had both types of Type B permit and will give the right to work in any job anywhere.

For the self-employed there is the Type D permit which is in two parts. The initial permit is limited to one year and could be limited to a specific geographical area. The renewed part of this permit is for two years and could also limit the type of work and region. The Type E permit is for those who have had both types of D permit and this will give them an additional 3 years in any work area in the country.

In addition to these permits there are the Type F permits which allow people to work in Spain if they are returning to another country on a daily basis and are usually issued for 5 years. A permanent work permit is for those who are qualified to do the work that they are qualified to do. This is for those who have had a type C or E permit which has now expired. The permanent permit needs to be renewed every five years. The Extraordinary work permit is for those who are not from the EU but who have contributed to the economy and culture of Spain. This is also renewable every 5 years but allows for any type of work in any area.

Useful Resources

Ministry for Employment and Immigration
http://www.mtin.es/en/index.htm (not all of website is translated into English)
Tel: + 34 91 363 00 00
Email: informacionmtin@mtin.es