# bookkeeping in spain



## Lawrence brown (May 24, 2009)

Dear group, we are planning to move to Spain in the next year or so.
I mostly have my job sorted out but my wife is looking for a part time or work from home position. My wife is a qualified bookkeeper, with qualifications from the International Association of Bookkeepers.
Despite the "International" tag, I doubt if her qualifications would be recognised in Spain.
Could someone tell me what the Spanish equivalent would be?
Many thanks.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Lawrence brown said:


> Dear group, we are planning to move to Spain in the next year or so.
> I mostly have my job sorted out but my wife is looking for a part time or work from home position. My wife is a qualified bookkeeper, with qualifications from the International Association of Bookkeepers.
> Despite the "International" tag, I doubt if her qualifications would be recognised in Spain.
> Could someone tell me what the Spanish equivalent would be?
> Many thanks.


I don't really know, but as no one else has answered I thought I'd give it a go...

First I looked up bookeeper and it seems that here in Spain the term is_* tenedor de libros*_. Be careful if you look it up in other places 'cos what with South American Spanish and North American English you can get in quite a muddle!
I have no info about whether the qualifications transfer or not, but I can't imagine they would. There are bound to be differences between systems. And as we have discussed before getting qualifications officially recognised can take months, even years.
The answer, I would have thought, would be to have some home based work through British companies.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Hi

Just as Pesky has said, transfering qualifications is always possible but can be a lengthy and drawn out process which I would always recommend you do through your Gestor. I woud imagine that because the tax systems differ from the UK (all be it slightly) you would have to take some kind of Spanish exams (in Spanish) to allow you to import your qualifications. The cost to bring in qualifications can run into the hundreds easily by the time you pay Gestor, sworn translator etc etc.

In the UK traditionally businesses use an accountant for their self assesments/corporation tax/vat/paye/ etc. Some do their own books, some get their accountants to do it, and some use the services of a book keeper because they don't want to pay the accountants high hourly rate for the "administration" time taken to do books. In the UK book keepers are very popular (I had one too) and they save businesses a lot of time and money.

In Spain businesses use an Asesoria (accountant) or Gestor (administrator) to deal with their tax affairs (usually), but the rates charged are much lower than in the UK so those who need book keeping generaly get their Gestor or Asesoria to do it for them all within an agreed price.

Having said that, as Pesky has pointed out, there could well be a market amongst the British businesses and traders for a book keeper you just have to make sure you do the right things to get yourself known. With that in mind, do you need qualifications to do book keeping? In the UK I dont think you need to be legally qualified to look after someones books, I know the woman I employed wasn't qualified but had years of experience which was good for me!

Perhaps rather than looking at the expense of exporting your qualifications you should concentrate your efforts on finding out if you can do freelance book keeping here without qualifications and then advertise as "UK Qualified"... just a thought!


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## Lawrence brown (May 24, 2009)

Many thanks for your replies, they were really very helpful.
you are right when you ask "do you need qualifications to do book keeping?" strictly speaking no, as I used to do my own books, but in order to gain employment these days it is virtually mandatory to have some sort of qualification.
I am a first aid instructor and I recently learned that my qualification has just been accepted by the Spanish authorities after only 8 years! So we are happy to take up your suggestion and go for British clients. My wife wanted to get a part time job also to help her learn Spanish, as she says that shopping alone will not give her the exposure needed to give her a better understanding.
I suppose we will have to settle for the local bar. LOL


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Lawrence brown said:


> My wife wanted to get a part time job also to help her learn Spanish, as she says that shopping alone will not give her the exposure needed to give her a better understanding.
> I suppose we will have to settle for the local bar. LOL


Your wife would find it useful to get an "intercambio" with a Spanish person learning English, so they can help each other. It´s also a great way of getting to know people locally and find out more about the Spanish community. And go to Spanish bars of course!!


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