Recruitment Agencies in Spain

A guide to working in Spain and where to look for jobs

Jobs in Spain

The dream of living and working in Spain is now becoming a reality for people of all ages. The influx of residents from all over Europe and beyond is bringing to Spain more and more professionals on a daily basis. If you are a resident of an EU state there is now very little red tape to stop you travelling to Spain and then working in Spain. In fact if you are in Spain, just have a look around and you will see people working in Spain of many different nationalities.

As an EU Citizen what do I need to work in Spain and to get a job in Spain?

If you are an EU citizen all you need is to do to legally get a job in Spain is to obtain a NIE number so that you can enter the Spanish tax system. However, in order to get a NIE number you need a job in Spain (or have purchased a property in Spain or purchased a car). It used to be a matter of arriving at your local police station with your passport, filling out some forms and applying for your NIE number. Nowadays you need a valid reason to get a NIE number. In many cases, your employer will arrange for your NIE number when you start your job in Spain.

You will find that it is quite difficult to get a job in Spain that includes a full time contract or what they call a "fijo" contract. Employers in Spain are very wary about full time contracts as the employee has so many rights. It is not uncommon for an employee to be signed off from work by a doctor for months, known as "Baja", which of course leaves the employer short of staff and unaable to replace them.

It is extremely difficult to sack an employee and if you are challenged the employer could end up paying a fairly hefty severence to the employee.

Being Autonomo in Spain

The other way of working in Spain for a company is as an "autonomo". This is like being self employed in the UK but with a few differences. You will find that many jobs in Spain will take you on under an autonomo basis.

To become autonomo in Spain you will need the services of a gestor (similar to an accountant). They will register you with the hacienda (tax office) as being self employed and will do your quarterly and annual accounts. Make sure you choose a good, English speaking gestoria as you will be relying on them to work out your IVA (VAT) and tax returns each quarter.

As an autonomo in Spain you will have to pay, by direct debit, your social security each month. Currently the minimum is around 235€ per month. This means that you are entitled to use the Spanish "national health" system and also receive a pension when you retire. You can opt to pay higher levers of social security for additional benefits and higher pensions.

If you are offered a job in Spain that requires you to be autonomo make sure you take the additional costs YOU will encounter. Obviously your social security but don't forget your accountancy fees (expect to pay around 60€ per month).

You will have to raise an invoice for your "wages" each month so you will have to either pay your gestor extra to do this on your behalf or simply raise them yourself, but you will have to keep proper records. If you are invoicing a company as an autonomo you will also have to include Impuesto sobre la Renta de las Personas Físicas (IRPF).

As an autonomo in Spain you pay tax and your IVA (VAT) every quarter. Then at the end of the year (January to December) you need to have your annual accounts done (does not have to be submitted until June of the following year). Each quarter you are required to pay 20% tax on your income (after expenses have been taken into account).

When you invoice a company you include a deduction of 15% IRPF which means that the company you invoice retains the 15% of the tax on your behalf and pays it at the end of the year. You then need to make up the additional 5% each quarter. It's really a way of stopping auotonomo's working for a few months and then dissapperaing without paying their tax.

In Spain you do not need a VAT number as your NIE number will be your equivalent. There is no exemption from charging IVA, the smallest company / business must charge IVA where applicable (currently 16%).

Each quarter you must present your invoices (payments in and out) to your gestoria so that they can work out your IVA bill and your tax bill. You do this each quarter and at the end of the year everything is totalled up to see whether you owe additional tax or are due a rebate.

Somthing to remember about being autonomo and your expenses is that all car related expenses (petrol, maintenance, etc) for most jobs in Spain as an autonomo and telephone bills, is that you can only deduct 50% of the expense as they assume a 50/50 split between your job in Spain and your personal life in Spain.

Finding a job in Spain

As with the UK there are various ways to find jobs in Spain. One of the most popular are the local papers as they all usually have a strong recruitment section. Becoming more and more popular are also Spanish recuitment agencies. They operate in the same way as they do in the UK. Just register with a recruitment agent in Spain and you will be sent details of suitable jobs in Spain they feel match your skills.

We have relationships with some of the top recruitment agencies in Spain and can put you in touch with the relevant professionals to help you find your ideal job in Spain.

Let Us Help You

If there is something specific you would like to know that was not listed here or if you would like to register with us to find your ideal job in Spain, just comeplete the form below and provide the relevant details.