It’s likely that finding a job in Spain will be one of your first considerations when thinking about relocating here.
Moving can be difficult enough, but trying to get your head around how to find a job in Spain as a foreigner can be even more tricky. Luckily there are various ways to find employment in Spain, from learning about your visa options to knowing the right websites to search on and finding out which jobs are in high demand.
Spain has one of the highest unemployment rates in Western Europe, making jobs here highly competitive, but of course everything depends on your skill-set and experience. Rather than just your particular professional skills and experience level, it will also depend on your language skills too. Most jobs will require a medium to high level of Spanish, however there are several international companies that will hire those who only speak English or who have skills in other European languages too.
Unfortunately, where you’re from will also depend on how easy it will be for you to find a job in Spain. If you’re from an EU country, you automatically have the right to work in Spain under the Freedom of Movement Act, but if you’re from a non-EU country, you won’t have this right. In order to be able to find employment in Spain you’ll need a visa that will allow you to work. Getting an employment work visa for Spain will require sponsorship from a company. In order to get sponsored, the company will have to prove that there is no-one else from within the EU that can fill the position, so they can be tough to come by. If you get a different type of visa, such as a student visa, which also allows you to work, finding a job in Spain will be a lot easier.
The truth is that many foreigners turn to self-employment when moving to Spain, create their own companies, make tourism businesses or work for clients abroad. This of course is a big undertaking and requires a lot of planning, but it’s worth keeping in mind that you can create your own job in Spain too.
According to a LinkedIn report from 2023, the most in-demand jobs in Spain are mostly in tech, so if you have skills in any of the below positions, you’re in luck.
It’s worth keeping in mind, however, that these are not the jobs on Spain’s skills shortage list, published by the government, meaning that they’re still difficult to come by if you don’t already have a visa that allows you permission to work here and companies won’t always be able to sponsor you for them.
Most of the jobs on the skills shortage list are in the naval and maritime industries, but you can find the full breakdown here.
Spaniards work hard, but play even harder. According to a report from the European Commission the average number of working hours per week in Spain is 37.8. This is around the European average of 37.5 hours. It’s not uncommon for companies to give a two-hour lunch break, and if you work in retail many shops close between 2pm and 4pm or 5pm. Some people choose to go home for lunch, while others enjoy a longer set menu lunch with colleagues at a local restaurant. This does mean that the working day may last slightly longer than you’re used to.
Companies have a strong hierarchy, but are generally relaxed. There’s also a strong work-life balance with many national holidays scattered throughout the year. Lots of companies also close down for the month of August, so you may be expected to take most of your vacation days during that month.
Finding a job in Spain is fairly similar to finding a job in many countries across Europe. It takes a mixture of skill, hard work and connections. Some of the best ways to find are job in Spain are:
The best way to find a job in Spain is to research online. Spain uses some of the world’s most popular job sites such as LinkedIn and Indeed.es and Monster.es.
Spain also has branches of well-known job agencies such as Adecco, Manpower and Hays.
Some of the most common Spanish websites to look for jobs include Infojobs, Tecnoempleo and Infoempleo.
Networking in Spain is very important when it comes to how to find a job in Spain as a foreigner. Many jobs are advertised and offered via word of mouth and an endorsement from a local will go a long way in helping you to get employed.
In the bigger cities, there are often networking events organised by various expat organisations or even local town councils. It’s worth joining expat Facebook groups, groups on Meetup and looking out for any industry events you can attend, that will get you in front of the right people.
Language teaching jobs used to be the most common types of jobs for foreigners in Spain, particularly for English speakers. It’s important to remember, however, that it’s not a job anyone can walk into just because you’re a native English speaker. Language teaching jobs in state or private schools usually require a teaching qualification, while a job in a language school typically requires a TEFL or CELTA qualification.
Since Brexit, however, it’s become a lot tougher for Britons to apply for teaching jobs in Spain. If you’re from Ireland or another EU country and have a native or advanced level of English you’ll find it a lot easier. Some countries such as the US also offer special programmes to allow you to go and teach in Spain.
Madrid is home to the most number of international companies in Spain, and therefore the most number of jobs for foreigners too. There are various networking events in Madrid as well as job fairs such as Madrid Tech Job Fair and JOBMadrid. The best way, however, is to contact the various international companies you’re interested in or check their websites and see if they’re hiring.
Barcelona has a wide range of international companies and start-ups, particularly in the technology and design sectors. It also has strong connections with the rest of the world, playing host to the Mobile World Congress. This means that there are a variety of jobs on offer to those who have the right skillset. As Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, it may help if you learn Catalan as well as Spanish.
There are many different job fairs and networking events specifically for expats and international companies in the city including Barcelona International Community Day, Barcelona Expat Life Job Fair, Barcelona Tech Job Fair, Global Sales Tech Festival and Barcelona Career Fair.
Valencia is Spain’s third-largest city, but it has far fewer job vacancies for English speakers than the likes of Madrid and Barcelona. The good news, however, is that the employment market is changing rapidly. Recently the likes of Siemens, HP, Hitachi, Toshiba, the Hyperion Group, Volkswagen and Lufthansa all opened offices in the city.
The United Nations Information and Communications Technology Facility (UNICTF) is also located in Valencia and recently announced plans for expansion. It’s worth looking on online job boards and contacting these companies to see what vacancies they have available.
Applying for a job in Spain is quite similar to applying for jobs in other parts of Europe, with vacancies advertised online and via word of mouth. If you’re in Spain already with permission to work another option is to join expat Facebook groups for your city or area.
While you may see jobs posted on these groups, they are also ideal groups for you to advertise your own skills. If you’re looking for English teaching jobs, then try contacting the language schools in your area directly. It’s also worth looking up how to format your CV in the Spanish way. For example, in Spain it’s common to add a headshot to the top of the page.
Written by
Esme FoxEsme Fox is a freelance journalist and travel writer who lives in and specialises in writing about Spain, everything from culture and language to property and news. She has contributed to several Lonely Planet and Rough Guide books to the country and written articles for places such as BBC Travel, The Telegraph and National Geographic Traveller. https://esmefox.com/
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