How to Find a Job in Spain as a Foreigner in 2026

To find a job in Spain, start with your passport. EU citizens can apply and start work straight away and register once they arrive. Britons, Americans, Indians and most other nationals need an employer-backed permit, an EU Blue Card or a digital nomad visa before they work. Then target InfoJobs and LinkedIn, write a Spanish-style CV and apply before August, the slowest hiring month.

Spain is hiring, but unevenly. Unemployment fell to 9.87% in the second quarter of 2026¹, still one of the highest rates in the EU, and the gap between regions is wide. This guide sorts out the visa question by nationality first, because for most English-speaking readers it decides whether an application is worth sending at all.

What does the Spanish job market look like in 2026?

Services drive hiring, Madrid and Catalonia hold most white-collar jobs, and the islands have the lowest unemployment. In the second quarter of 2026 Spain added 486,000 jobs, 394,000 of them in services¹. Construction added 60,000 and industry 38,200 in the same quarter¹.

The regional spread matters if you can choose where to live. The Balearic Islands had the lowest unemployment at 6.11%, Andalusia the highest at 14.56%¹. Madrid and Barcelona concentrate head offices, tech and international roles, while the coasts and islands lean on tourism and hospitality.

Which jobs are in shortage?

Spain publishes an official shortage list, the Catálogo de Ocupaciones de Difícil Cobertura, every quarter and province by province. The latest one, for the third quarter of 2026, is very narrow: professional athletes and coaches, merchant navy crews, electricians, aluminium and PVC carpenters, and crane operators². Office, tech and most service jobs are not on it.

When do Spanish companies hire?

August is the trough. In August 2026 Social Security affiliation fell by 162,840 people compared with July³. September and the first half of the year are the best windows to apply.

Can you work in Spain with your passport?

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can work freely. Everyone else, including Britons since Brexit, needs a visa or an authorisation tied to a job, a salary level or remote work for a foreign company. Here is the short version by passport.

EU citizens, the registration steps

You do not need a work permit. If you stay longer than 3 months, you must register in person within 3 months of entry at the immigration office or police station of your province⁴. Bring form EX-18, proof that you paid fee form 790 code 012, your passport or ID card, and proof that you work, study or have enough resources⁴. The registration certificate is issued on the spot and carries your NIE, your foreigner identity number⁴.

Two more numbers follow. Register at your town hall (empadronamiento) with your rental contract, and request a Social Security number (NUSS) with form TA.1 through the Import@ss portal⁶.

Non-EU citizens, the main routes

• EU Blue Card. For a qualified job paying at least €41,356.36 gross a year, or €33,085.09 for recent graduates and listed shortage occupations⁷. Large-company and strategic files go through a dedicated unit under Law 14/2013⁸.
• Highly qualified professional. A national permit with the same €41,356.36 salary threshold⁷.
• Employer-sponsored work permit. The employer applies. The first authorisation lasts 1 year and renewals last 4 years⁹.
• Digital nomad visa. For people employed by, or freelancing for, companies outside Spain, created by Law 28/2022¹⁰. The income threshold is set as a multiple of the minimum wage; confirm the current figure with your consulate.
• Student to worker. Students in higher education or vocational training may work up to 30 hours a week without a separate permit¹¹.

Spain's new immigration regulation took effect on 20 May 2025¹¹. It created a job-search visa of 12 months, but only for children and grandchildren of Spaniards by origin, or for occupations and regions set by ministerial order¹¹. It is not an open "come and look" visa for any nationality.

Citizens of the Philippines and of Ibero-American countries have one long-term advantage: they can apply for Spanish nationality after 2 years of legal residence instead of 10¹³.

Once you are in Spain on a visa for a stay of more than 6 months, apply for your TIE foreigner card within 1 month of entry¹¹. UK residents need the TIE too¹⁴.

Which job sites do Spanish employers actually use?

InfoJobs is the biggest Spanish board, LinkedIn dominates international and English-speaking roles, and sector boards fill the gaps.

Recruitment firms such as Hays and Michael Page handle many mid-level and senior roles, and temp agencies like Adecco and Randstad fill industrial and seasonal jobs. The Local Spain publishes useful news in English but no longer runs a job board.

Can you get a job in Spain without speaking Spanish?

Yes, in tech, international sales, customer support for foreign markets, tourism and English teaching, but Spanish widens your options sharply. Most job ads are written in Spanish, and interviews for local companies usually happen in Spanish. Multinationals in Madrid and Barcelona often work in English. If you are learning, say so honestly on your CV with your current level rather than overstating it.

How do you write a Spanish CV?

Keep it to one or two pages, write it in the language of the job ad, and put your achievements before your duties. A photo is not required by law but is still common, especially in customer-facing roles, and often left out in tech and international processes.

A few habits help:

• Match the ad's language. An ad in Spanish expects a CV in Spanish.
• Use the Europass format only where it is requested, for example in public or EU-funded posts.
• Mirror the keywords of the ad, because large employers screen with ATS software. Our guide to optimising your CV for ATS explains how.
• Write a short cover letter for SMEs and spontaneous applications. The structure in our cover letter guide works in Spain too.

First interviews from abroad usually happen by video, so prepare with our video interview tips. Before applying, you can run your CV against the job ad with the Epimoni resume analysis.

How much will you earn in Spain?

The minimum wage is €1,221 gross a month in 14 payments, €17,094 a year, and the average salary is about €29,500 gross a year¹⁵¹⁶. The minimum wage (SMI) for 2026 was set in February and applies from 1 January¹⁵. Spanish salaries are quoted as gross per year and paid in 14 instalments, two of them extra payments, or spread over 12 months¹⁵.

The latest official average is €29,540.26 gross a year, with a median of €24,497.17¹⁶. The Basque Country pays the most, at €35,170.28 on average, and Extremadura the least, at €24,979.44¹⁶. Energy is the best-paid sector and hospitality the lowest¹⁶.

Rents are far higher in Madrid and Barcelona than elsewhere, so a salary that feels comfortable in Valencia or Seville can be tight in the capital. To benchmark an offer, use our salary estimation tool and read how to estimate your salary.

Contracts to expect

Since the 2022 labour reform an open-ended contract (indefinido) is the default¹⁹. Fixed-term contracts for production needs last at most 6 months unless a sector agreement extends them¹⁹.

Your first 30 days in Spain

1. Before you leave (non-EU): get the right visa or authorisation. EU citizens need nothing.
2. Week 1: register at the town hall (empadronamiento).
3. Week 1: book your appointment for the EU certificate or the TIE fingerprinting.
4. Within 3 months (EU): collect your registration certificate and NIE⁴.
5. Within 1 month (non-EU visa for more than 6 months): apply for your TIE¹¹.
6. Get your NUSS with form TA.1 on Import@ss⁶.
7. Open a Spanish bank account, usually with your NIE.
8. Upload your CV to InfoJobs, LinkedIn and one sector board.
9. Register with SEPE or your regional employment service if you arrive without a job.
10. Hired from abroad? Diary the Beckham law deadline¹⁸.

Comparing destinations? Read our guides to finding a job in Italy and finding a job in France, or go back to the work abroad hub.

Frequently asked questions

Is it hard to get a job in Spain as a foreigner?

It depends on your passport and sector. EU citizens compete on equal terms. Non-EU candidates need an employer willing to sponsor them or a salary high enough for the Blue Card, which starts at €41,356.36 gross a year⁷. Tech, tourism and international roles are the most open.

Can I work in Spain without speaking Spanish?

Yes, in some sectors. Multinationals, tech companies, tourism and English teaching hire English speakers. Most local employers still expect Spanish, so even a basic level helps you stand out.

How can an American or a UK citizen work in Spain?

Through the same non-EU routes: an employer-sponsored permit, the EU Blue Card, the highly qualified professional permit or the digital nomad visa. Neither country has a working holiday agreement with Spain, and the EU-UK youth scheme was not signed as of June 2026¹².

Can I move to Spain and then look for work?

Not on a tourist entry. The 12-month job-search visa exists only for descendants of Spaniards by origin and for occupations set by ministerial order¹¹. Otherwise, find the job first and let the employer start the permit.

What is the minimum wage in Spain in 2026?

€1,221 gross a month in 14 payments, which is €17,094 a year or €40.70 a day¹⁵. Many sector agreements set higher minimums, so check the convenio named in your contract.

Do Spanish CVs need a photo?

No. A photo is not a legal requirement, but it is still common in Spain, especially in sales, banking and hospitality. In tech and international companies many candidates leave it out.

Which jobs are in demand in Spain in 2026?

Hiring growth is strongest in services, followed by construction and industry¹. The official shortage list is narrow and covers electricians, carpenters, crane operators, merchant navy crews and sports professionals².