Your guide for working in Spain
If you work in Spain either as a employee or self-employed or are considering applying for a job here, then there's a lot you need be aware of from salaries and taxes to your workers' rights and types of contracts. The Local has all of this covered in our working in Spain guide with helpful articles on a variety of topics.
Salaries
Salaries are of course one of the main deciding factors if we accept a job or not. We need to know we can fully support ourselves and our family and get paid what we're worth. If you're moving from another country, you are probably aware that salaries here are relatively low compared to other EU countries, as well as other countries such as the UK, the US, Canada and Australia, but what is considered a decent salary in Spain?
While recent figures reveal that Spain's average salary is €2,353.59 gross per month, there are huge differences in what you can expect to earn throughout Spain's 17 regions.
There are 1.83 million salaried foreigners in Spain who earn an average of €1,720 gross per month. However, data reveals that certain nationalities tend to earn much more than others.
And if you want to get a job in Spain, but don't have a university degree, don't worry.
Traditional academic qualifications are no longer a guarantee of work or good pay. In fact, there are numerous jobs in Spain which don't require a university degree that pay handsomely.
If it's time to move on from being self-employed, there's a few steps to take before you move on to the next chapter of your work life. Photo: Tumisu / Pixabay
Taxes
The second most important factor to be aware of are your taxes, what your obligations are and how much you'll end up paying, so you can work out your final take home salary. You will pay personal income tax on both your salary as an employee and on your earnings from being self employed. Taxes will automatically be deducted from your pay packet as an employee and you will have to pay them each quarter if you're self employed.
Every worker in Spain must also complete an annual tax return called the Declaración de la Renta. You might need help in completing the form for 'La Renta' which you can get in our step-by-step guide.
Before you file 'La Renta' make sure you know about the common pitfalls and mistakes people often make when submitting it.
Autónomo
Autónomos are self employed people in Spain, and many foreigners turn to this way of working to find new opportunities in a country with high unemployment rates, target other foreigners or if their language skills are not up to scratch. Even though being a freelancer may sound like it's very flexible and you can choose your own hours, there are a lot of obligations being an autónomo in Spain and a lot to consider including the downsides. It's also not an easy system to get to grips with and there's a lot you have to learn.
There can be lots of confusion around the registration process for being an autónomo, and it's important to know when exactly you need to register.
One question foreigners ask is whether they need to register officially if they are only working a few hours a week? Spanish legislation is pretty clear about the answer so you'll have to go through the process even if you have just have a little side job.
It’s illegal to earn below the minimum wage in Spain if you’re a full-time employee, but if you’re an autónomo do you still have to register and pay tax when you're not earning much money?
As an autónomo, you will be expected to submit and pay your taxes every quarter. Many people find it necessary to hire a tax professional called a gestor to help them out with it all.
The role of the gestor in Spain is difficult to pin down as there isn’t the same ‘jack of all trades’ figure for official matters in other countries, but you can get more information on what a gestor is and why you'll need one.
If you do get a gestor it's important to know in advance how much you should expect to pay one.
Working in Spain as a non-EU citizen
If you're a non-EU citizen you'll need a visa authorisation to be able to work in Spain. It is possible for an employer to apply for a work permit for you as an employee or por cuenta ajena, but in the majority of cases it's difficult because the position must be on Spain’s shortage occupation list and companies have to prove that there isn’t anyone else in the EU who can do the job. There are certain steps that companies need to take in order to hire a foreign worker in Spain.
The other main way you can work in Spain is to apply for Spain's digital nomad visa, which means that you'll either be self employed or work remotely for a company abroad.
Digital Nomad Visa
Cuenca could be a great place for digital nomads in Spain. Photo: César León / Unsplash
One way to get authorisation to live and work in Spain is the Digital Nomad Visa. This allows remote employees or self employed workers to live in Spain for up to five years. You must either be working for a company abroad remotely or for yourself, and only up to 20 percent of your income and come from inside Spain.
If you’re considering apply for this type of visa, there’s a lot of research you need to do. We have a lot of useful articles on the topic, including an explanation of the income requirements and a detailed look at what documents you need.
If you decide to move to Spain as a remote worker or freelancer on the new digital nomad visa, you'll need to get all the necessary information about completing the application form.
Tax questions are some of the most common and important ones remote workers and freelancers have when trying to apply for Spain’s digital nomad visa, so it's important to know whether you have to pay tax in Spain and how much you'll actually pay.
We also have features on the pros and cons of the digital nomad visa, plus a guide on the best places in Spain to move to as a digital nomad.
The law is pretty clear on working overtime hours in Spain, who can and can't, and what employers can and can't do with regards to extra hours. Photo: LuckyLife11/Pixabay.
Leave
As an employee, and often as an autónomo too, there are many types of leave you can apply for. When it comes to sick leave, there are rules for how long you can take off work for health reasons and for how long you can take off work in general without needing a doctor’s note. And you should know if you are you entitled to take leave if your child sick?
Other types of paid leave from work in Spain are maternity and paternity leaves, so if you become a parent you should find out if you are eligible for parental leave in Spain.
Contracts
A contract is an essential part of accepting a job as it sets out your responsibilities, hours and salary. But there are different kinds of job contracts in Spain so you'll need to research which one is the best for you.
You'll also need to understand the pros and cons of part-time contracts in Spain before accepting a job on that basis.
Workers’ Rights
Knowing your rights as an employee in Spain is essential so that you're not being taken advantage of and you know what is allowed. For example if your boss is allowed to contact you out of office hours and what your rights are if you work extra hours.
Work culture
Work culture in Spain will most likely be very different to back home, so if you want to adjust to working life here and fit in, it's important you understand all about it. Lots of people want to move here because they've heard Spain has a really good work life balance, but is that really true?
By Esme Fox
Originally from the UK, Esme grew up in various countries around the world. She decided to settle in Spain in 2014 and has lived in both Granada and Barcelona. She is a regular contributor to The Local Spain.