Working in Spain

Jobs in Spain are plentiful. There is seasonal work on the coast, and if you are at all DIY minded, you can soon get jobs decorating, doing minor repairs etc - especially for the English householders.

In the coastal resorts, you will find that most people speak English, so it should not be too difficult to get a job in your chosen profession, or even start a more menial job, and work your way back up very quickly. Inland, you will quickly find that it is more of a 'closed shop' where the locals only speak in their native tongue, and offer work to their relatives and friends.

In order to get work in Spain, please note the following:

It is a legal requirement on the Costa Blanca that any foreigner (including EEC citizens) working in Spain has to have a 'Residencia' (you need to apply for residency)

Obviously, many people are not able to apply for this document until they find work as they cannot meet the monthly income requirements without a job! So, it is accepted practice to firstl of all find work, and then apply for the Residencia as soon as possible thereafter.

Applying for a Residencia as an Employee

If you have been offered a contract of work, your employer has an obligation to pay your social security and tax obligations, which will vary according to how many hours a week you work. These are deducted from your income at source, and shown on your weekly/monthly payslip.

Contracts are usually issued for six or twelve months, on a renewable basis as appropriate. After two years` continuous employment, however, you are entitled to receive a fixed contract which ensures increased job security, pension provision and entitlement to unemployment benefit should your company close down or be unable to offer you continuing employment.

You should have already applied for a NIF number but if this is not the case, you can do this at the same time as you make your residencia application.

The papers you will need to apply for a Residencia with a work contract are as follows:
· Original passport & 1 copy and 3 passport style photos
· Completed application form & 3 copies
· Original work contract & 1 copy
· TC1 and TC2 from your employer & 1 copy
· Registration card from your employer (showing NIF/CIF number) & 1 copy

Applying for Residencia in a Self Employed Capacity

When you decide to become self employed, you need to decide which area of work activity you are going to be pursuing, e.g. plumber, general builder etc. You may apply to work in more than one category, but you will then need to pay a monthly “stamp” for each one. In addition, if you have chosen a profession where qualifications are required (such as hairdresser, electrician), you must provide evidence that you have these qualifications, e.g. City & Guilds. The original Certificates must be sent to the Ministry of Education & Science in Madrid with an accompanying translation by a licensed Spanish translator to be homolgated (approved).

You will also need to specify whether you will be working locally or provincially, as your Tax Licence will be issued in either capacity (a local Licence is cheaper than a provincial one). This can be obtained from your local SUMA Office, or Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) if you live in Javea.

Once you have registered as self employed you will be incorporated into the Spanish Social Security system, and will immediately start paying a monthly sum (currently approximately 200 Euros) to cover your social security provisions, regardless of how much business you conduct. You will therefore need to register at the Seguridad Social (Social Security) office, for which you will need your passport, Tax Licence and Residencia application.

You must decide how you are going to pay your tax obligations – you can make a quarterly VAT and Income Tax Declaration, in which case you will need to set up and present a fully comprehensive double entry bookkeeping system. Or you can opt for paying on a modular system, which will be a monthly amount set by the Tax Office. This figure does not vary and will remain the same whether you do very well or no business at all over the following months.

Finally, if you are opening a business where the public will be entering your premises, you should apply to your local Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) for an Opening Licence.

To make the residencia application in a self employed capacity, you will need the following documents:
· Original passport & one copy and 3 passport photos
· Completed application form & 3 copies
· Homolgated Professional Certificates & 1 copy (if applicable)
· Tax Licence Application & 1 copy
· Registration document from Seguridad Social (Social Security) & 1 copy
· VAT Declaration (Form 037) & 1 copy
· Opening Licence (if applicable)

The papers are then presented at Denia Comiseria (or the Foreigner´s Office at Alicante direct) for processing, which takes the same amount of time as applications for Residencia on a private income.

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