# Finding work



## Cheryllee (Jan 18, 2016)

Hello all, I am wanting to emigrate to Spain though am having difficulty finding out how to get work there. I am a qualified career with years of experience though have not been able to source any information on jobs in my field. Does anyone already living in Spain have any information that would help me. Thank you.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Cheryllee said:


> Hello all, I am wanting to emigrate to Spain though am having difficulty finding out how to get work there. I am _*a qualified career*_ with years of experience though have not been able to source any information on jobs in my field. Does anyone already living in Spain have any information that would help me. Thank you.


Could you explain what a qualified career is?


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## Cheryllee (Jan 18, 2016)

Hello pesky-wesky 

Yes I can explain what a qualified carer is. I have a NVQ level 2 in health and social care, I have yearly training and am fully up to date in medication control, health and safety, health and hygiene, food preparation, fire safety training, autism awareness, diabetis awareness, epilepsy awareness, autism awareness, first aid, manual handling, mental capacity act including deprivation of liberty knowledge, safe guarding adults at risk, allergen awareness,infection control, care standards, and risk assessing. 

I have 15 years experience working with a wide group of individuals including, adults with learning difficulties, stroke patients, Alzheimer suffers and acquired brain injuries.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

.. are you completely fluent in Spanish?

If not, where do you hope to find the people to care (career) for?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Cheryllee said:


> Hello pesky-wesky
> 
> Yes I can explain what a qualified carer is. I have a NVQ level 2 in health and social care, I have yearly training and am fully up to date in medication control, health and safety, health and hygiene, food preparation, fire safety training, autism awareness, diabetis awareness, epilepsy awareness, autism awareness, first aid, manual handling, mental capacity act including deprivation of liberty knowledge, safe guarding adults at risk, allergen awareness,infection control, care standards, and risk assessing.
> 
> I have 15 years experience working with a wide group of individuals including, adults with learning difficulties, stroke patients, Alzheimer suffers and acquired brain injuries.



I was a nurse practitioner when I moved to spain 8 years ago. The only work I could find was care work, regardless of my qualifications - it was in a British care home because I couldnt speak Spanish. The hours were very irregular and long, they also did community work which I did occasionally. However, I'd go for weeks without any work and then I'd be expected to do an overnight for 5€ an hour and no employment contract. 

So perhaps look at British care homes etc - but dont expect to earn enough money to live on or regular hours



Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Cheryllee said:


> Hello pesky-wesky
> 
> Yes I can explain what a qualified carer is. I have a NVQ level 2 in health and social care, I have yearly training and am fully up to date in medication control, health and safety, health and hygiene, food preparation, fire safety training, autism awareness, diabetis awareness, epilepsy awareness, autism awareness, first aid, manual handling, mental capacity act including deprivation of liberty knowledge, safe guarding adults at risk, allergen awareness,infection control, care standards, and risk assessing.
> 
> I have 15 years experience working with a wide group of individuals including, adults with learning difficulties, stroke patients, Alzheimer suffers and acquired brain injuries.


Ah carer, not career!
Well, if you don't have a certifiable level of Spanish and your qualifications recognised, there are obviously going to be fewer opportunities. However I do remember posting a link about British people working as carers here. Unfortunately I can't find the thread (I do find the forum search facility sadly lacking on many an occasion), but if you Google *carer Spain* quite a lot comes up.
Be aware that the pay is normally shockingly low.


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## Cheryllee (Jan 18, 2016)

Hello snikpoh 

I am currently learning Spanish and intend to be fluent before moving to Spain.


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## Cheryllee (Jan 18, 2016)

Hello jojo 

Thank you for that information, it is most useful. A little disappointing though to hear that care work is so difficult to get. I currently work extremely long shifts so that side of things is not a problem for me but the prospect of not getting regular work would be an issue. May I ask what work you are currently doing in Spain .


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## Cheryllee (Jan 18, 2016)

I have just noticed my spelling error career instead of carer. My apologies for the confusion.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Cheryllee said:


> Hello jojo
> 
> Thank you for that information, it is most useful. A little disappointing though to hear that care work is so difficult to get. I currently work extremely long shifts so that side of things is not a problem for me but the prospect of not getting regular work would be an issue. May I ask what work you are currently doing in Spain .


Ah well, I'm back in the UK now and...back with the good old .....NHS lol!!!! I suspect thats who you're working for from your list of qualifications!!??? (I'm in admin now) We returned for a variety of reasons, mainly my husband who was commuting to the UK to work as...there was no work in Spain.

But do look at nursing/care/residential homes in Spain, maybe email some of them and see what they have to offer - you never know???

Jo xxx


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## Cheryllee (Jan 18, 2016)

Thank you.


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## Cheryllee (Jan 18, 2016)

Thank you. Will do that.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Cheryllee said:


> Hello snikpoh
> 
> I am currently learning Spanish and intend to be fluent before moving to Spain.


I taught languages and worked as an interpreter/translator in the UK and I have to tell you you will be fluent after not before you come to Spain, and then only after many years!  I've been here seven years, am involved in a lot of activities involving speaking in Spanish and although I cope I wouldn't say I was fluent.
Then there's the problem of the very different regional dialects/languages...
But I don't think that would be a major problem as I would assume that most of your clients would be British. After all, there are plenty of Spanish people who are qualified carers too.
There may be a demand from the very elderly Brits who need help yet receive very little if anything from the Spanish state. A Gibraltarian friend with an elderly British husband who has just had a stroke receives no care whatsoever from the Spanish system. He cannot be left alone, she cannot drive. 
That would of course be private work done on an individual basis for which you would need to become autonomo in order to be legal. That would involve paying around 250 euros a month Social Security but you would then qualify for health care. Of course that wouldn't be a problem if an agency employed you, unless they expected you to be autonomo.
To be able to become resident in Spain you have to show an income of 600 euros a month plus savings of around 6000 euros plus private health insurance if not already employed with a legal contract.
Have you thought of looking for live in jobs? I would have thought there could be possibilities there, especially in more upmarket areas.
Most of us here are retired or already working.


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## EdofWigan (Jun 28, 2015)

Worth checking some of your qualifications listed, those that are (QCF) fully accredited, are maybe Euro-wide. Such as your First Aid. 

Do you have a copy of your UK DBS (formally CRB) ?

Good language skills will be a must but still it is going to be an up hill battle.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Much of the Care work is taken up by South Americans who do a very good job as far as I am aware - they are fortunate in that they are fluent in Spanish, they also have lower aspirations regarding pay and working conditions.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> Much of the Care work is taken up by South Americans who do a very good job as far as I am aware - they are fortunate in that they are fluent in Spanish, they also have lower aspirations regarding pay and working conditions.


That's certainly the case of the people that I know.


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## Cheryllee (Jan 18, 2016)

Thank you all for the valuable information. Much appreciated and food for thought.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Cheryllee said:


> Thank you all for the valuable information. Much appreciated and food for thought.


Few things are impossible....but some are very difficult at times and this is a difficult time to find work in Spain as a foreigner.
This may sound daft...but have you looked in 'The Lady'? I know of someone who got a fabulous job answering an ad in that house journal of the really loaded. 
There are jobs looking after rich old biddies all over the world.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

mrypg9 said:


> Few things are impossible....but some are very difficult at times and this is a difficult time to find work in Spain as a foreigner.
> This may sound daft...but have you looked in 'The Lady'? I know of someone who got a fabulous job answering an ad in that house journal of the really loaded.
> There are jobs looking after rich old biddies all over the world.


 You've put an ad in then 

:bolt:

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

jojo said:


> You've put an ad in then
> 
> :bolt:
> 
> Jo xxx


Post of the week....


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