Spanish
Language
Castellano, Catalan, Galician
Country guide · Spain
Living and working in Spain
A guide for international candidates
Unless you're an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you'll need a residence and work permit to work in Spain. Common routes include the highly qualified professional permit, the EU Blue Card, intra-company transfers and a standard employee permit. Remote workers for foreign companies can look at the digital nomad visa. Rent is highest in Madrid, the Balearics and Catalonia.
Free for candidates. Join nearly 3,000 candidates and growing daily.
Euro
Currency
€, EUR
Madrid
Capital
CET
Time zone
UTC+1, CEST in summer
112
Emergency number
Types C and F
Plug
230 V
Last checked 12 October 2026. Estimates are labelled.
Where the jobs are
All regions lets you pick a place and see rent, jobs and the sectors in this guide. Choose a sector to see that industry in every place.
Cyan is the region you picked. Navy is everywhere else.
Region
Andalucía
€628
- Rent a month
- €628
- Vs regions in this guide
- +4%
- People in work
- 3.6m
- Strongest sector
- Hospitality
Sector strength vs average for Spain
- Techn/a
- Healthcaren/a
- Engineeringn/a
- Financen/a
- Hospitality1.07×
Job links open all Spain roles for now. Rent compared with the other regions in this guide.
View the map as a table
| Key | Population, 1 Jul 2026 | People in work | Sectors above average (LQ 1.05 or more) | Declared rent a month, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andalucía | 8,778,051 | 3,634,500 | Public sector, education and health 1.08, Trade, transport and hospitality 1.07 | €628 |
| Aragón | 1,389,298 | 635,300 | Manufacturing 1.46, Public sector, education and health 1.06 | €529 |
| Asturias | 1,026,726 | 432,800 | Public sector, education and health 1.16 | €501 |
| Illes Balears | 1,266,279 | 635,700 | Trade, transport and hospitality 1.42 | €869 |
| Canarias | 2,277,705 | 1,036,900 | Trade, transport and hospitality 1.51 | €616 |
| Cantabria | 599,056 | 266,800 | Manufacturing 1.17, Public sector, education and health 1.08 | €573 |
| Castilla y León | 2,427,156 | 1,049,800 | Manufacturing 1.24, Public sector, education and health 1.17 | €495 |
| Castilla-La Mancha | 2,169,241 | 947,300 | Manufacturing 1.21 | €498 |
| Cataluña | 8,233,788 | 3,932,200 | Manufacturing 1.32, Tech 1.30 | €770 |
| Comunitat Valenciana | 5,574,948 | 2,469,800 | Manufacturing 1.31, Trade, transport and hospitality 1.06 | €598 |
| Extremadura | 1,055,849 | 434,900 | Public sector, education and health 1.44 | €434 |
| Galicia | 2,734,494 | 1,179,100 | Manufacturing 1.18 | €485 |
| Comunidad de Madrid | 7,201,554 | 3,575,200 | Finance 2.34, Tech 1.90 | €931 |
| Región de Murcia | 1,616,189 | 717,900 | None at 1.05 | €490 |
| Navarra | 692,026 | 314,600 | Manufacturing 2.22, Public sector, education and health 1.18 | €609 (Nastat 2024) |
| País Vasco | 2,257,392 | 1,004,500 | Manufacturing 1.57, Public sector, education and health 1.15 | €771 (EMAL 2024, free-market contracts) |
| La Rioja | 330,756 | 152,300 | Manufacturing 2.12 | €498 |
Cities
Pay, rent and the share of pay that rent takes. Estimates stay labelled.
Spain
Madrid
- Rent
- €931
- Pay
- Not listed
- Rent share
- 40%
15.0°C mean; 421 mm; about 2,545 hours of sun (Retiro)
See jobs in MadridSpain
Barcelona
- Rent
- €842
- Pay
- Not listed
- Rent share
- 37%
16.1°C; 588 mm; about 2,315 hours (Airport)
See jobs in BarcelonaSpain
València
- Rent
- €642
- Pay
- Not listed
- Rent share
- 34%
17.6°C; 461 mm; about 2,759 hours (Airport)
See jobs in ValènciaTools
Step 1 of 2
Visa route finder
A route to read about, not a decision on your application. Figures are the ones in this guide.
Rent and pay
The pay and rent figures already in this guide. This is not a tax calculation.
Rent a month in Madrid
€931
- Pay
- Not listed
- Rent share of pay
- 40%
Take-home pay
Renta WEB Open estimates an income tax return without signing in. The result cannot be filed as a return.
Open Renta WEB OpenVisa routes to read about
These describe the route. They do not say whether you qualify.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
No permit; register at the Central Register of Foreign Nationals and get a NIE if staying more than three months.
Highly qualified professional
(Ley 14/2013): salary at least 1.4 times the INE average gross annual earnings, €41,356.36 on the 2024 figure, as applied by the UGE-CE; €33,085.09 in some cases (Orden PJC/44/2026).
EU Blue Card
Same salary rule under the same Order.
Intra-company transfer
(Ley 14/2013): moving within the same group.
International teleworker (digital nomad)
Work remotely for non-Spanish companies; income at least 200% of SMI, about €2,442 a month in 2026.
Standard employee permit (cuenta ajena)
The employer applies; usually needs a role on the hard-to-fill occupations list (Catálogo de ocupaciones de difícil cobertura, latest published Q3 2026, BOE 2 September 2026) or a labour market check.
Job search visa and students
The job search visa (Reglamento 2024 art. 43) gives 12 months to look for work but only for children or grandchildren of Spanish-born nationals or occupations set by ministerial order.
Little-known facts
Daily life
- Good to knowCost of living: declared rents (v2-hero-facts §2, §4).
- Good to knowTransport: Renfe and regional networks; monthly pass about €33 in Madrid, €22.80 in Barcelona, €35 in València and €23.95 in Málaga (Numbeo, Oct 2026, estimate).
- Good to knowClimate: AEMET normals per city card.
Family, school and pets
- SchoolFree public schooling, compulsory from 6 to 16 (LOE).
- FamilyDependants: family reunification for most permits; Ley 14/2013 routes let family apply together.
- ChildcarePrivate nursery fees about €613 a month in Madrid, €850 in Barcelona, €519 in València and €750 in Málaga (Numbeo, Oct 2026, estimate).
From job offer to settled in
1
Get your visa or permit approved before you travel (unless EU, EEA or Swiss)
2
Register your address on the municipal register (empadronamiento) at the town hall
3
Get your foreign national identity card
With fingerprints within one month of arriving (EU citizens: registration certificate)
4
Get your Social Security number
5
Open a Spanish bank account
6
Register with your regional health service
Questions
Do I need to speak Spanish?
No legal rule for private jobs, but most jobs and all paperwork use Spanish, and co-official languages matter in some regions.
What salary do I need for the highly qualified route?
At least 1.4 times the INE average gross annual earnings, €41,356.36 on the latest figure.
Can my family come with me?
Yes on most work routes; Ley 14/2013 routes let them apply at the same time.
Can I work remotely from Spain for a company abroad?
Yes, through the international teleworker visa if your income is at least about €2,442 a month.
How long until permanent residence?
Usually after five years of legal residence (.
Does every employer on Global Sponsor Hub sponsor visas?
No. Each listing shows the support the employer or agency has stated, such as visa sponsorship or relocation support. Confirm it with the employer before you apply.
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