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Immigration Lawyers Spain » Work Permit in Spain

How to get a
work permit in Spain

There are three main ways:

ENTREPRENEUR VISA

If you are willing to set up your own company in Spain and your project is innovative and technological, this residence permit is for you.

HIGHLY QUALIFIED WORKER VISA

This visa is for those non-EU citizens who have received a job offer as a manager or in another high-salary position in Spain.

REGULAR WORK PERMIT

For those who have found a regular job offer in Spain that considers the national situation of unemployment.

Do you want to live and work in Spain? Then you need to get your work visa. But you have different options in that sense. There are four different ways through which you can apply for the work permit in Spain. 

Either you are a Non-EU citizen or an EU citizen, or you want to change from a non-working residency to a work permit, the different work permit requirements and the process to get the Spanish work permit will depend on the path you choose:

online immigratrion

We will present all your documents online

Our team will take care of sending the application or renewal documents for your application completely online, so you can get the residency without having to leave your home.

Start your application here
Work permit

Highly qualified professional

Who is it for?

The highly qualified professional permit is designed for individuals with a highly skilled job offer in Spain, as well as graduates or postgraduates from universities and prestigious business schools.

We can assist with your employment contract and manage your monthly payroll obligations.

Main documents required
  • Employment contract
  • Detailed job description
  • Professional résumé
  • Valid passport
Suitable for senior, technical and highly skilled professional profiles
Business project

Entrepreneur visa

Who is it for?

This visa is intended for entrepreneurs who want to launch an innovative business project in Spain with particular economic interest for the country.

A specialised immigration lawyer can help you prepare and support the viability of your business plan.

Main documents required
  • Copy of the passport
  • Application form
  • Criminal record certificate
  • Business plan
  • Health insurance
  • Proof of sufficient funds
For innovative projects with genuine potential to operate in Spain
Work permit requirements

Main requirements for obtaining a work permit in Spain

Before starting your application, you must meet a number of general conditions. You will also need to satisfy the specific requirements of the route you choose: working as an employee or carrying out a self-employed activity.

Starting point

General requirements for obtaining a work permit

These conditions generally apply before the specific requirements of each work permit route are assessed.

Not be a citizen of a European Union member state, the European Economic Area or Switzerland.

Have no criminal record during the previous five years.

Not be listed as inadmissible in the territory of countries with which Spain has signed an agreement to that effect.

Not be subject to a non-return commitment to Spain.

Not pose a threat to public order, security or public health.

Pay the applicable fee for processing the residence and work authorisation.

Route 01

Work permit as an employee

To work for a Spanish company, you must take the following specific conditions into account:

  • You cannot be in Spain when this procedure begins. The application must generally be initiated by the employer who intends to hire you.

  • The job offer must comply with the applicable legal requirements and, where necessary, respect Spain’s national employment situation.

The viability of the application will depend on the position, the employer and the circumstances of the proposed employment.

Route 02

Work permit as a self-employed person

To carry out your own professional or business activity in Spain, you must demonstrate that the project is viable and can operate effectively.

  • Prepare and submit a sufficiently detailed business plan to the competent authority.

  • Prove that you have the qualifications, professional experience or training required to perform the proposed activity.

  • Demonstrate that you have sufficient investment or financing to launch and maintain the project.

The authorities will assess the economic coherence of the project and its capacity to generate a genuine activity in Spain.

Not sure which work permit is right for you?

We assess your profile, job offer or business project and explain the most suitable route for working legally in Spain.

Work permit application

Step-by-step application process

Although the procedure may vary depending on the type of authorisation, these are the main steps for applying for a work permit in Spain.

01
First step

Determine which type of permit you need

Before beginning the procedure, you must identify which authorisation best suits your professional situation. Further down the page, you can review the main types of work permits available in Spain.

02
Submission

Submit the application

From abroad

The employer or the worker must submit the initial application to the Spanish consulate in their country of residence. The consulate then forwards the documentation to the Immigration Office in Spain for processing.

From within Spain

The application is submitted directly to the Immigration Office in the province where the work will be performed.

03
Application file

Submit the documents and pay the fee

Provide all the documents required for the type of work permit you are applying for and pay the applicable administrative fee for the procedure.

04
Decision

Wait for the authorities’ decision

3

Months of legal processing time

The authorities have a legal deadline of three months to decide on your application.

05
Final step

Obtain the visa and TIE

Application filed from abroad

Upon receiving a favourable decision, the worker must enter Spain within three months and apply for the Foreigner’s Identity Card within 30 days of arrival.

Application filed from Spain

Once the authorisation has been granted, the foreign national must apply for the TIE at the appropriate immigration office or police station.

We guide you throughout the entire procedure

We assess your situation, prepare the documentation and monitor the application until your work permit is obtained.

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Frequently asked questions about the Spanish work visa

Residence and work permits in Spain, regardless of type, are intended for foreign nationals who are not citizens of the EU, the EEA, or Switzerland, and who intend to live and work in Spain.

Citizens of the EU, the EEA, and Switzerland enjoy freedom of movement and the privileges of the Schengen Area; therefore, they do not require these permits.

Spanish immigration regulations provide for four different types of work permits, as we’ve seen above.

These four work permits are governed by two different regulations or systems:

  • The general system, which includes the work permit for self-employment and the work permit for employment by another entity
  • The Entrepreneurs Law, which covers the entrepreneur visa and the work permit for highly qualified workers

So, as you can see, there are two categories of work permits: one allows you to work for a company, and the other allows you to work on your own as a freelancer or self-employed individual.

And each of these categories is authorised under both the general immigration regime and the Entrepreneurs Law.

Yes, there are. If you are not eligible to apply for any of the work permits we’ve discussed above, you still have options for working legally in the country.

The following residence permits include an implicit work authorisation:

  • Student visa
  • Residence permits granted due to exceptional circumstances (sarraigo sociolaboral, among other ties)
  • Residence card as a family member of an EU citizen

Following on from the previous section, the answer depends on the specific regulations governing the work permit in question, as the agency responsible for processing each application varies.

  • The process can take between 3 and 6 months if you apply for a work permit as an employee or self-employed individual (i.e., a work permit under the general system)
  • In contrast, the process takes only 20 business days if you apply for the permit as a highly qualified worker

To renew any type of work permit in Spain, the application must be submitted online (via the Mercurio platform) or in person at the Immigration Offices or official registries, within two months before the permit’s expiration or, in exceptional cases, within the three months following its expiration.

If you need specific information on how to renew each type of work permit, check our website or contact our professionals, and they will assist you with whatever you need.

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