Relocate to Spain helps gave advice to many members looking to live and work in Spain
Relocate to Spain in confidence and knowledge of your rights
EU citizens can work in Spain under exactly the same conditions as Spaniards. This means you
do not need a residents permit but you will require a NIE (National Insurance Number) obtainable
from the Local Police Station in your chosen area. Best obtain this A.S.A.P on arriving in Spain
Non EU Citizens will still require a visa.
Tip: Any EU Citizen can enter Spain on a passport like any other tourist and has six months to look for work
SEEKING WORK
You have the right to sign on for work at the local INEM office (Like our Job Centers) although if you
are unable to speak the Language finding a job here will be difficult, not forgetting you will need to
have had your CV translated into Spanish for it to make any sense.
MINIMUM WAGE
Employees have rights to a minimum wage, which is dictated by the job in question. For the
standard 40 hour week there is an absolute Minimum wage of currently 451 Euros per
Month (around 300 pounds) Remembering that the cost of living is much less in Spain
CONTRACTS
Your employer can give you two temporary work contracts of three months or one of six months
after which they must by law either finish you or give you a permanent long term contract.
Many Employers flaunt this law however by issuing two six month contracts before a permanent one.
INCOME TAX
Income Tax will usually be paid by your employer commonly on top of your wage, although not as
under our PAYE system, should they not do this for you, then it is your responsibility to make an
annual return to the Tax office.
We recommend employing the services of a local Gestoria (legal advisor) for this service who should charge
in the region of around 30 pounds for the paperwork
Tip: Current earnings of over 8,000 euros are taxable
HOLIDAY ENTITLEMENT
You should be entitled to the minimum 23 days annual Holiday in addition to around 14 days
national and local fiesta days
SOCIAL SECURITY
All workers should Contribute to the Spanish Social Security System by law which will in turn cover
you for their excellent health care, industrial injuries and unemployment benefit,
for which the latter you will have had to work a minimum 365 days in Spain during the last six years to
be entitled too and that you have registered as unemployed at the INEM offices within 2 weeks of
leaving your Job. As in the UK you will not be entitled to benefit should you have left your job
on your own accord or left to go back to the UK.
PENSIONS
Pensions are paid after Spanish Social Security contributions of 15 years, which are paid jointly by the
Employer who pays the lions share and the employee. Self employed workers must pay this
in themselves on a monthly basis.