If you are (or you will be) in Spain on a student visa, you’ll find this article useful. Buckle-up because we’re about to see one of the best options to extend your stay in the country and modify to a work permit once you finish your studies.
So, if you are a non-European citizen in Spain who has just completed a university, masters, or doctorate degree in the country, you are eligible for the job search visa. Just like its name implies, this residence permit allows you to legally live in Spain to search for employment or put up your own company. Sounds exciting doesn’t it?
In this article, we’ll give you all the information you need to know about this residence permit. You’ll see what it implies, how long it lasts, all the requirements necessary, and more. Let’s get to it!
Many foreign citizens do the same: they start studying or conducting research in Spain in order to live legally in the country. Why? Because, through that, they can apply for a student visa, a residence permit that enables them to stay without any problem. But… what happens when the study or research period ends? Then the resident permit expires, so the individual cannot stay in the country any longer. And that is a problem.
However… the situation has now changed. With the approval of this law in 2019, if you are in the said situation, you no longer have to worry.
The job search visa in Spain enables you to reside legally in the country until you find a job or have started your own company. It is residence permit for students to search for employment – that simple.
Hence, the job search visa has become of the most efficient ways to move from student visa to work permit, working as an intermediary step.
Are you interested in applying to this temporary residency permit? Well, you are lucky. Cause we have answered for you the main doubts that may arise.
Who can apply for the job search visa?
Those foreign students who have finished an undergraduate degree, Master or PhD, and who do not wish to renew their student visas anymore. Thus, it is a post study visa.
Do you have any doubt so far? Ask anything to our immigration lawyers:
How long does the residency to look for work last?
This is where we need to be more cautious, since this authorisation is not indefinite.
It lasts a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 24 months, with no possibility of extension. This means you have up to two years to find a job or start your company.
Since this looking for work visa is aimed at students with higher education (degree, master’s degree, doctorate), the time granted is enough to regularize your situation as an employee.
The main drawback of this residence permit is that it does not allow you to work, it is a non-lucrative permit.
The good news, however, is that you do not necessarily have to wait the entire period of residency for job search to make the change. You must wait 10 months before you can process a work permit modification, since you would already have been a resident for a year when you received the resolution.
And here the national unemployment situation would not apply.
But if you receive an offer as a highly qualified professional, you can modify the work permit at any time.
In the case that you want to start your company, we recommend you to contact us so we can speed the whole process up, as we help you with all the legal aspects of putting up a company in Spain.
Requirements for the Spain Job Seeker Visa
Since you are transitioning from a student visa, the job search permit requirements are fairly simple.
In general, you must demonstrate sufficient funds to stay in the country throughout the entire period of residence that this card grants you, proof that you completed your studies, demonstrate that you have no criminal record, and medical insurance with full coverage throughout the Spanish territory.
We’ve created a detailed list of all the requirements:
- Non-EU Citizen
- Legal status in Spain
- EX-01 Form (find it here)
- University certificate as proof that the individual completed at least Level 7 studies in Spain, which is a bachelor’s degree, so a language course would not be enough
- The academic institution must be on the list provided by the government for the application to be accepted, as not all help students with this permit
- Sufficient economic funds (100% of the IPREM: €7.200 for the main applicant; 75% of the IPREM: €5.400 for the initial relative; and 50% of the IPREM: €3.600 for each additional relative)
- Full-coverage private or public medical insurance in Spain
- Clear criminal records from all countries one has resided in for the last 5 years
How do I get a Job Seeker Visa for Spain?
One of the most important requirements has to do with the exact moment in which you submit your application.
In this sense, you have two options to request this permit: either during the 60 days before your residence permit as a student expires, or during the 90 days after the expiration of your card.
That means you don’t have to wait until after you graduate to apply for the job search visa. As long as it is within the previously mentioned timeframe and you already have proof of completed studies, you can start your application before. In fact, as lawyers, we recommend you do it as soon as possible.
And, where should I submit my application?
Your application must be submitted at the Immigration Office of the province in which you plan to reside (you can find your nearest immigration office here ).
How long does it take to get an answer from the immigration office?
Once you have submitted your application, the Immigration Office in Spain has 20 working days to resolve it. In the case that you don’t receive any answer during this period, your application will be considered as approved, and you will get your permit.
Can I bring my family with me?
No, your family cannot join you if you are on this permit.
However, if you included your spouse in your application when you had a student visa, they can legally stay in Spain with you.
In other words, if they joined you during your study stay, and you change your stay to this residence permit, your family’s stay will also be extended, as long as they continue to meet the regrouping requirements.
Can you start a business with a job search visa too?
If you are an entrepreneur and would like to embark on the process of setting up your own company in Spain, you will need to take the following two steps:
First of all, you will need to apply for the initial residency authorisation to work as cuenta propia.
Once you have that legal situation resolved, you can start your entrepreneur visa application.
Does this sound a bit overwhelming and complicated? You don’t need to worry about that, cause in Immigration Lawyers Spain we have helped hundreds of foreign individuals get their work permit, whether it was by starting their own company, or being employed by another company.
If you need any help with the related legal aspects and would like to save time there, do not hesitate to contact us and let our immigration lawyers solve all your doubts:
Get in touch with our lawyers and let us guide you step by step:
My name is Haytham and i have been living in Spain for 4 years and finished my masters in international marketing in Barcelona, Spain.
I applied for the new law of allowing students 1-year resident permit to look for a job and I got the resolution (Favorable).
So please I would like to know if I got a contract now from a company willing to hire me, would I need more things to do or another process to go through? or the company just need to make an ALTA in social security so I can start working immediately?
Awaiting your advice,
Kind regards,
Hi Haytham,
You now need to change your current permit to work permit, which is a completely different legal procedure.
If you need help with that do not hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards!
I have been in Spain on study permit and now I have job offer . I have completed Diploma in Travel and tourism.
I have job from from a Super market ..
What kind of documents required for this kind of visa ?
You should first transition into a job search visa, then get a regular work permit. Your employer must be the one initiating the procedure.