# Advice on moving to spain



## Emmamarkemily (Mar 29, 2016)

We need advice on moving to Spain 

We have 5 year old daughter, we don't no if it's best to look for work before hand or if we should rent a place and look for work once we get there 
Also advice on school for our daughter
Thanks 
Emma and mark


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Emmamarkemily said:


> We need advice on moving to Spain
> 
> We have 5 year old daughter, we don't no if it's best to look for work before hand or if we should rent a place and look for work once we get there
> Also advice on school for our daughter
> ...


Spain is a huge country so before anyone can give more specific advice we would need to know where you are thinking of moving to.
But wherever you decide to go, it would be highly unadvisable to come to Spain with a child and without work. In any case, before you are able to apply for your residencia in Spain you need to show that you have approximately 600 euros a month each (1800 euros a month for the three of you) paid into a Spanish bank account plus health insurance as until you have got a job and paid into the Spanish social security system you will not be eligible for free health care and once resident in Spain you can no longer use the NHS. Some regions also require savings of around 6000 euros.
You didn't say what kind of work you would be looking for but unemployment in Spain is the highest in Europe at 25%, in some areas over 30%. Do you speak fluent Spanish? It's much harder to find work if you don't.
All that might sound a bit depressing but sadly, it's how things are at present. The best thing you could do is to visit the area you like and see for yourself what the job situation is.
There is low-paid long hours seasonal work in some areas but without a proper contract you won't qualify for heath care or the dole when work dries up at the end of the season. The authorities seem to be cracking down on this.
Come and see for yourself how things are With a young child it's not wise to come on the offchance of finding work.


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## Leper (May 12, 2010)

Hi Emma and Mark. Unemployment in Spain is high and the signs that the Spanish economy is going to improve are not great. Unless you are very lucky you could be heading for the greatest disaster of your life. If you are working in gainful employment in the UK, learn to love your job, embrace it, even endure the UK weather and use Spain for your holidays.

Sorry for not posting more positively.


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## Emmamarkemily (Mar 29, 2016)

Leper said:


> Hi Emma and Mark. Unemployment in Spain is high and the signs that the Spanish economy is going to improve are not great. Unless you are very lucky you could be heading for the greatest disaster of your life. If you are working in gainful employment in the UK, learn to love your job, embrace it, even endure the UK weather and use Spain for your holidays.
> 
> Sorry for not posting more positively.



Thanks for the advice we where looking at the Malaga area , I am a staff nurse with mostly theatre experience and my partner is a landscape gardener, we both have OK Spainish not the greatest , when looking online we can't seem to find any jobs so was thinking maybe planning to come over for 2 months renting somewhere and getting a feel for the area jobs ect would be a good option but I'm starting to think maybe this isn't the best route for us to go down


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Emmamarkemily said:


> Thanks for the advice we where looking at the Malaga area , I am a staff nurse with mostly theatre experience and my partner is a landscape gardener, we both have OK Spainish not the greatest , when looking online we can't seem to find any jobs so was thinking maybe planning to come over for 2 months renting somewhere and getting a feel for the area jobs ect would be a good option but I'm starting to think maybe this isn't the best route for us to go down


Hmmm, well you must have heard that Spanish nurses are being recruited in regular drives to work in the UK, so that's not looking great. I don't think you'd be able to work in a public hospital because you'd have to sit public exams which are in Spanish. Perhaps the best thing would be to contact private hospitals directly to see what they have to say. Here's a list to get you started
Hospitals in Malaga and Costa del Sol | Andalucia.com
The good news is that I think your qualifications are recognised under an EU agreement.


> A number of European directives mean your nursing qualification can be recognised in other European countries enabling you to practise there. These European directives offer opportunities to gain valuable experience in other countries. There are however certain administrative procedures and language skills which must be acquired.


From here
Nursing in Europe

As for landscape gardening I would imagine it would be undeclared income at least at first, not very well paid and not very stable. I think Thrax knows something about this. After 5 posts you can get in touch by personal message if he doesn't see this thread.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Hhhmm, yes, I work for an NHS trust and we're recruiting from Spain - in fact from everywhere at the moment lol!!! I'm not completely convinced that the qualifications/bands are directly transferable - but I dont know for sure, but you will need up to date DBS/CRB checks etc. The one thing I do know is that the pay isnt as good in Spain - however, as previously said, you may find work in a private hospital???

Jo xxx


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## Nic76 (Mar 30, 2016)

Hi there Im new to this forum thing but could do with your advice.

My husband daughter and I are thinking over moving to Spain in the next 6 months. My husband works off shore in a high paid job so don't think proving income will be a problem. I work for the NHS at present but due my baby in next 3 month and wanting to take 2 years off anyway as have no child care when my husband is away. My daughter is 13 years old and I'm aware I need to pay for her education, which I'm also looking into.
Just wanted advice on areas, my husbands colleagues live near Torrevieja or slightly inland but want to know the best area really for my 13 year daughter. which is very eager to start a new life out in spain. Advice would be much appreciated thanks


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Nic76 said:


> Hi there Im new to this forum thing but could do with your advice.
> 
> My husband daughter and I are thinking over moving to Spain in the next 6 months. My husband works off shore in a high paid job so don't think proving income will be a problem. I work for the NHS at present but due my baby in next 3 month and wanting to take 2 years off anyway as have no child care when my husband is away. My daughter is 13 years old and I'm aware I need to pay for her education, which I'm also looking into.
> Just wanted advice on areas, my husbands colleagues live near Torrevieja or slightly inland but want to know the best area really for my 13 year daughter. which is very eager to start a new life out in spain. Advice would be much appreciated thanks


I think most posters have gone to bed now (Spain is an hour ahead), but I'm sure you'll get answers in the morning !!!

But from what you have said so far, then things are looking ok (until brexit anyway lol???) 

An international school is a must at 13 really, too much change , language and hormones means its probably better to stick with the curriculum and language she knows. Schools in Spain | Nabss may give you an idea of the international schools in the area - I'm not sure of cost, but you could enquire/email them???

Jo xxx


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Emmamarkemily said:


> Thanks for the advice we where looking at the Malaga area , I am a staff nurse with mostly theatre experience and my partner is a landscape gardener, we both have OK Spanish not the greatest , when looking online we can't seem to find any jobs so was thinking maybe planning to come over for 2 months renting somewhere and getting a feel for the area jobs etc would be a good option but I'm starting to think maybe this isn't the best route for us to go down


As an ex-nurse, I can tell you that the qualification is not transferable. You also need to be able to speak FLUENT Spanish, and understand various medical terms in Spanish. I too used to be a theatre nurse for over 30 years., 18 of which were as a Nurse Manager. As others have said, the UK heavily recruits nurses from Spain. If I may so blunt as to say the following. 
I understand you wanting to "change", but if you want to use your skills as a staff nurse, and you have a young family I would do one of two things

1) Stay, build up a career and pension pot best you can, to enable you to have a brighter future (although I do appreciate the pensions situation on the NHS is an ever moving )

2) Take your well-earned skills to somewhere like Oz. New Zealand, USA or Canada. If I had the courage this is what I would have done when my children were small. You are not excluding yourself from a future UK job market, as you will be increasing your skills whilst trying to build a new future. Enabling you to return if you need too. Giving up the profession totally may give you fewer options in the future

Whatever you decide I wish you luck


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

I think that people asking about jobs here would be well advised to consider whether a foreigner moving to the UK would be accepted in a similar position with poor English. Would a Spanish theatre nurse be employed if she couldn't speak fluent English, for example?

Maybe further language studies and a recognised qualification would improve job prospects.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

I agree to taking the nursing skills to the US as there is a Shortage of nurses there and they are well paid.


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