Habla Espanol

Located in Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, Spain is now a place with potential opportunities. This article imparts information on Spanish Work permit, the process to apply for it and the requirements needed to obtain the permit.

Spain has recently announced a general amnesty for illegal immigrants. With this policy in effect illegal immigrants, register with the relevant authorities can legitimise their presence in Spain

Obtaining a Spanish work permit is a long and complicated procedure, necessitating a decision by many different authorities. However, with the recent legislative some consultants could be placed on site very quickly.

How does one apply for a Spanish work permit?

The application for the work permit is lodged through Direccion Provincial de Trabajo, Eguridad Social y Asuntos Sociales (local labour office). Alternatively they can also be lodged at the Office for Foreigners, The General Directorate for Migration.

Once the work permit application is approved, the candidate will need to make a residence visa application in their usual country of residence. The candidate will probably need to present a police clearance certificate and an original birth certificate to be granted this visa, so it is worthwhile assembling these documents in advance

How long does it take for an employee to obtain a Spanish work permit?

The documentation is quite extensive and takes time to collect. It has to be submitted in Spanish, and translations could take time. Once an application has been submitted, the processing takes between 3 and 6 months due to the highly bureaucratic systems designed to protect the resident labour markets. When the work permit is approved the candidate has to apply for a residence visa to travel to Spain and start work.

How can an organization obtain the Spanish work permit?

There are two possible ways for the candidate to be employed with a work permit for the first time:

a. They can qualify as a direct employee of a company in Spain. This is essentially a Type B visa where the candidate can stay for a maximum period of one year. This can be extended and be valid for a maximum of 2 years.

b. A candidate can also qualify if they are employees of a foreign company providing services to a company in Spain. This foreign company may not be a recruitment agency and it is imperative that they provide a service contract as part of the application. In such a situation the Spanish accountant must administer the pay rolling of the candidate to ensure that all tax and social security is duly paid. This would be under the type A permit that will be valid for a maximum of 9 months

How does a candidate qualify for a Spanish work permit?

A candidate needs to possess the required skill sets and adequate work to fill in the position he has applied for. Should the application be for an assignment permit then the candidate needs at least 6-12 months experience with the service provider, to justify the claim that they have experience with the company’s systems.

Preference is given to candidates with some demonstrable link with Spain and the Latin American citizens.