Citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland do not need a visa to work in Spain. For most other people, a work permit is needed. However, certain types of professions (e.g., university professors, foreign journalists, technicians, etc.) are exempt from work visa requirements.
There are two types of work permits:
Generally, you must have a job offer before obtaining a work permit. The employer must apply for a work permit on behalf of any non-EU/EEA nationals. However, the work of obtaining the residence visa may be undertaken by the individual.
The EU Blue Card is a work and residence permit for highly qualified professionals, defined as:
Qualification resulting from higher education training that lasted at least 3 years and provides the degree of qualification necessary to practice a profession that demands a high level of training or to join an advanced research programme.
Employers who wish to apply for an EU Blue Card on behalf of a potential foreign worker can find the application here.
You will need:
If the application is successful, the foreign worker must apply in person for a visa at the diplomatic mission or consulate where they live within a month of notification.
For the visa application process, they will need:
There is a fee associated with the visa application process.
If you already hold an EU Blue Card from another country, please refer to the following excerpt from the Ministry of Work and Immigration’s unofficial guide (in English):
‘Foreigners who have been holders of a EU blue card issued by another EU Member State for at least 18 months have the right to move to Spain and apply for a EU blue card in Spain.
The application can be submitted either by the employer or by the EU blue card holder in person before entering Spain or within a month after entering Spanish territory. Applicants must submit all the documents proving the fulfilment of the requirements for an initial work and residence permit for highly qualified employment, except the visa.
If the permit is granted the EU blue card holder must register with the Social Security system an apply for a foreigners ID card within a month after being notified the decision. The foreigner will be obliged to leave Spain if not registered with the Social Security system by the end of the established deadline. Failure to do so constitute a serious offence as it will be considered an illegal stay in the country.
EU card holders are entitled to apply for residence permits for those family members who want to join him in Spain if the family was already constituted in the first member state. The application can be filed either by the EU blue card holder or by his employer.
This application can be filed together with the application of the EU blue card holder, prior to entry in Spain or within a month after entering Spanish territory with the following documents:
If the holder of the EU blue card wishes to reunite members of his family, who are not part of the family already established in the previous Member State of residence, they must apply according to the procedure previously stated in the “Family members” paragraph.’
Ministry of Work and Immigration | Work Permits for Highly Qualified Foreign Professionals (EU Blue Card) |
Expat Arrivals | Work Permits for Spain |
Expatica | Guide to Spanish Visas |
Expatica | Guide for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens moving to Spain |
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