# Residence Permit for an american teacher



## Michael Kelly (May 30, 2017)

A friend of mine from the USA has been working as an English teacher in Spain for the last 10 years. She does not have a residence or work permit and is now looking into this as she has had some difficult questions on reentering Spain after trips home. Is there any way for her to aquire legal residence and a work permit?


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## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

Very bad situation obviously, and to let it go on for 10 years! 

I'm definitely not an expert, but from what I've heard from similar situations, she should go back to the USA, 'lose' the passport and get a new one, try to come back legally perhaps by requesting student visa for studying a CELTA or DELTA or whatever, then while she's back she can get a proper work permit/get sponsored by her employer? 

The thing is when you request residence they normally ask for a copy of all pages in passport, and illegal entries can result in a ban from the country...

Perhaps she was living with EU partner and situation may be different in that case...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Michael Kelly said:


> A friend of mine from the USA has been working as an English teacher in Spain for the last 10 years. She does not have a residence or work permit and is now looking into this as she has had some difficult questions on reentering Spain after trips home. Is there any way for her to aquire legal residence and a work permit?


If she's been in Spain for 10 years working with no residence visa she's been here illegally & tbh she's lucky that she's only being asked difficult questions! 

Worse case scenario is a massive fine for working illegally & a ban from Spain. Her employer could also face fines.

In order to work legally, her employer has to apply for a work visa on her behalf. Tbh there's little chance of success, since they'd have to prove that no EU citizen is available to fill the position & there are many 1000s of English teachers who don't need work visas.


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## Michael Kelly (May 30, 2017)

expat16 said:


> Very bad situation obviously, and to let it go on for 10 years!
> 
> I'm definitely not an expert, but from what I've heard from similar situations, she should go back to the USA, 'lose' the passport and get a new one, try to come back legally perhaps by requesting student visa for studying a CELTA or DELTA or whatever, then while she's back she can get a proper work permit/get sponsored by her employer?
> 
> ...


Why should she lose her passport? This makes no sense to me. She cannot get a visa through her employer as there is no shortage of English teachers in Spain. However, many previously illegal workers from Latin America and Morocco have managed to get papers in recent years so I am wondering just how they did it and could she use the same process?


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## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

Michael Kelly said:


> Why should she lose her passport? This makes no sense to me. She cannot get a visa through her employer as there is no shortage of English teachers in Spain. However, many previously illegal workers from Latin America and Morocco have managed to get papers in recent years so I am wondering just how they did it and could she use the same process?


Because the passport will show the entry stamps over the last 10 years. For residence applications to be successful they (afaik) check your passport data back to 10 years to make sure you were not in Spain illegally during the last 10 years. Normally they ask for copies of all pages in your passport (I just went through this myself).

I've heard people do this in similar situations. However, I know there is an electronic system as well, so if they check that it would show her entries into the country if her passport was scanned.

As an American, she can't be in Schengen zone over 3 months within a 6 month period, or something like that. So her movements back and forth will show she was in violation of this.

From brief Google search it seems Spain has opened amnesty windows a few times over the past decades. That is probably how those immigrants managed to 'become legal'.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

expat16 said:


> Because the passport will show the entry stamps over the last 10 years. For residence applications to be successful they (afaik) check your passport data back to 10 years to make sure you were not in Spain illegally during the last 10 years. Normally they ask for copies of all pages in your passport (I just went through this myself).
> 
> I've heard people do this in similar situations. However, I know there is an electronic system as well, so if they check that it would show her entries into the country if her passport was scanned.
> 
> ...



Just to mention that what you are suggesting is illegal, & if caught, she could forget a 10 year ban - it would more likely be for life....


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## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

Michael Kelly said:


> Why should she lose her passport? This makes no sense to me. She cannot get a visa through her employer as there is no shortage of English teachers in Spain. However, many previously illegal workers from Latin America and Morocco have managed to get papers in recent years so I am wondering just how they did it and could she use the same process?


I just found this: Permiso por Arraigo Social - it allows people in irregular situation in Spain to apply for this special permit if they have a job and have been in Spain for 3 years and can show that they have formed an attachment to the country.

There are 3 types of such permits and she could go for the Arraigo Social one:

PORTAL DE INMIGRACIÃ“N. Autorizaciones de residencia por circunstancias excepcionales

ETA: Actually Arraigo laboral seems easier, just has to show a work relationship of min. 6 months.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

expat16 said:


> I just found this: Permiso por Arraigo Social - it allows people in irregular situation in Spain to apply for this special permit if they have a job and have been in Spain for 3 years and can show that they have formed an attachment to the country.
> 
> There are 3 types of such permits and she could go for the Arraigo Social one:
> 
> ...


Is being here illegally an irregular situation? What about taxes , national insurances etc surely there is some issue with that’s side of the topic as well. If she’s been working without a work permit she must not be paying income tax or social security or they would have picked up on this, one would hope?!

On the other hand she may have been paying the correct taxes.


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## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

Megsmum said:


> Is being here illegally an irregular situation? What about taxes , national insurances etc surely there is some issue with that’s side of the topic as well. If she’s been working without a work permit she must not be paying income tax or social security or they would have picked up on this, one would hope?!
> 
> On the other hand she may have been paying the correct taxes.


Yes, apparently being illegal is fine according to that link - they define irregular as having no residence permit. 

I'm very surprised that there is such an option....should have tried that 10 yrs ago when my work visa was not approved! Instead I took the long route and became long-term resident of EU in a country with a good economy and just recently moved to Spain with that and was just granted long-term residence of Spain.

I guess illegal immigration is a huge problem here and they figure they might as well try to 'regularize' as many 'illegals' as they can. The permit only lasts for one year though, don't know what the options are after that.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

I would suggest that possibly her best bet is to find a willing Spaniard and get married.


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## Michael Kelly (May 30, 2017)

expat16 said:


> I just found this: Permiso por Arraigo Social - it allows people in irregular situation in Spain to apply for this special permit if they have a job and have been in Spain for 3 years and can show that they have formed an attachment to the country.
> 
> There are 3 types of such permits and she could go for the Arraigo Social one:
> 
> ...


Thanks, Arraigo laboral seems like a good option for her. After one year she can apply for another permit.

La autorización concedida tendrá una vigencia de un año y a su término se podrá solicitar autorización de residencia o una autorización de residencia y trabajo.


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## Michael Kelly (May 30, 2017)

baldilocks said:


> I would suggest that possibly her best bet is to find a willing Spaniard and get married.


We are talking about a persons life here. She has been in Spain for 12 years. Actually it seems that there is an option for people who wish to regularize their situation without resorting to an illegal sham marriage. Working without papers in Spain is not a crime, it is merely an administrative issue.
Once Brexit is a reality, you might not find this issue to be so funny. Just look how commonwealth citizens in the UK are now being treated.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Michael Kelly said:


> We are talking about a persons life here. She has been in Spain for 12 years. Actually it seems that there is an option for people who wish to regularize their situation without resorting to an illegal sham marriage. Working without papers in Spain is not a crime, it is merely an administrative issue.
> Once Brexit is a reality, you might not find this issue to be so funny. Just look how commonwealth citizens in the UK are now being treated.


I don't think Baldilocks _was_ trying to be funny. Members of his family are non European so I am sure he can appreciate the graveness of the situation. 
I know lot of Americans here and all but one are here only because they married a Spaniard or someone from the UK.
It _is_ a serious situation and perhaps your friend should have thought about legalizing her status before :confused2:. 
She can become a member of the forum and post herself BTW
Even so, a tough situation that hopefully has a good ending.:usa2:


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Megsmum said:


> Is being here illegally an irregular situation? What about taxes , national insurances etc surely there is some issue with that’s side of the topic as well. If she’s been working without a work permit she must not be paying income tax or social security or they would have picked up on this, one would hope?!
> 
> On the other hand she may have been paying the correct taxes.


I'm finding this confusing.
I thought that if you were here without the paperwork behind you ie a visa, you were classified as an illegal immigrant. Isn't that right?
As far as I can see this person has been living here illegally, and also working illegally and also not paying taxes.
Not a good situation, and as far as I understand can only be remedied by returning to the States and doing paperwork from there. As a teacher there is little chance of a visa being issued, but there is every probability that a fine will be.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Michael Kelly said:


> We are talking about a persons life here. She has been in Spain for 12 years. Actually it seems that there is an option for people who wish to regularize their situation without resorting to an illegal sham marriage. Working without papers in Spain is not a crime, it is merely an administrative issue.
> Once Brexit is a reality, you might not find this issue to be so funny. Just look how commonwealth citizens in the UK are now being treated.


But they weren’t in the country illegally. They had the right to be in the UK , you can’t compare the two. I have sympathy, but only to a point. Clearly she knew the rules and decided to ignore them. She can’t be paying taxes , social security, if she is then I’m very confused as to her status. Working without papers is NOT merely an administrative issue, it’s actually ignoring the rules. If I’m honest, when I read this it did annoy me, I’m working here, pay taxes including an hefty €290 a month as an autonomo and yet according to the link given, a person working here for 12 years illegally simply gets, apparently, to fill in a few forms and hey presto all I’d forgiven. 

I don’t wish anyone ill, everyone makes their choices, I hope she can resolve this


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## Michael Kelly (May 30, 2017)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I'm finding this confusing.
> I thought that if you were here without the paperwork behind you ie a visa, you were classified as an illegal immigrant. Isn't that right?
> As far as I can see this person has been living here illegally, and also working illegally and also not paying taxes.
> Not a good situation, and as far as I understand can only be remedied by returning to the States and doing paperwork from there. As a teacher there is little chance of a visa being issued, but there is every probability that a fine will be.


People here without papers can apply for papers as explained in this link - 

PORTAL DE INMIGRACIÓN. Autorizaciones de residencia por circunstancias excepcionales

There is no need for her to return to the US, all the work can be done from Spain. There is no fine to be paid either.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

So....a non- EU citizen enters Spain on a 90 day visa as a tourist, decides to ignore the regulations relating to non- EU citizens, stays in Spain, works cash in hand, no tax declared or paid, no proper contract, then when an inconvenient problem arises, such as being questioned at border control can throw him/ herself on the mercy of the authorities and beg for the situation to be regularised...

The lesson to be learned here is stay under the radar, live and work illegally in Spain, cheat the taxman, hope to be forgiven if found out.
When people do this in the UK don't they get deported....if caught, of course.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> So....a non- EU citizen enters Spain on a 90 day visa as a tourist, decides to ignore the regulations relating to non- EU citizens, stays in Spain, works cash in hand, no tax declared or paid, no proper contract, then when an inconvenient problem arises, such as being questioned at border control can throw him/ herself on the mercy of the authorities and beg for the situation to be regularised...
> 
> The lesson to be learned here is stay under the radar, live and work illegally in Spain, cheat the taxman, hope to be forgiven if found out.
> When people do this in the UK don't they get deported....if caught, of course.


I really hope that it’s not as simple as that...... makes a mockery of my €269 a month for the past three years, my quarterly tax bills, my Gestor fees and the simple fact that I was honest and did the correct thing. This whole thread makes me really pissed


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Michael Kelly said:


> People here without papers can apply for papers as explained in this link -
> 
> PORTAL DE INMIGRACIÃ“N. Autorizaciones de residencia por circunstancias excepcionales
> 
> There is no need for her to return to the US, all the work can be done from Spain. There is no fine to be paid either.


I haven't read it yet, but that can't be right because it would, as meg,s mum points out , make a mockery of all of us Brita or Europeans in general or indeed Americans who are here legally. Doesn't make sense Mr. Kelly it just doesn't add up


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## Patico (Sep 24, 2017)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I haven't read it yet, but that can't be right because it would, as meg,s mum points out , make a mockery of all of us Brita or Europeans in general or indeed Americans who are here legally. Doesn't make sense Mr. Kelly it just doesn't add up


So you're saying that the information supplied by and on the Spanish Government Website link that MK posted is Incorrect?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Patico said:


> So you're saying that the information supplied by and on the Spanish Government Website link that MK posted is Incorrect?


No, I didn't say that.


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## Patico (Sep 24, 2017)

Pesky Wesky said:


> No, I didn't say that.


Oh my mistake, I wrongly assumed you meant that it was wrong as you wrote _*"I haven't read it yet, but that can't be right"*_


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Patico said:


> So you're saying that the information supplied by and on the Spanish Government Website link that MK posted is Incorrect?


Just a couple of points: the piece published struck me as being somewhat incomplete. I'd like to see the whole document, not just that section of it.

My second point is this: Spain has many excellent laws and regulations. What it does not have is adequate and efficient means of enforcing them. So anyone making an application for 'mercy' using that paragraph which on the face of it appears to waive rules in some cases may well find it very difficult and complicated, not to mention time-consuming, to do so.

We've seen from this Forum that some people have problems trying to do things that are or should be straightforward. So it's likely that someone asking the authorities to forgive the fact that they've flouted residency regulations, worked without a contract, not been covered by or paid into Social Security and cheated the tax system may not be given an easy ride, no?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Patico said:


> Oh my mistake, I wrongly assumed you meant that it was wrong as you wrote _*"I haven't read it yet, but that can't be right"*_



Exactly, your mistake!

For goodness sake, talk about wanting to pick a fight. 
I think the interpretation of the law might be different to that which the OP and friend are hoping for,but I don't know, I don't know too much about this law, but I do know that Spanish law at least is very much open to interpretation.
If the said friend regulates her situation through this law she should be extremely happy, as it's a very easy way in
PS I have read the link now. Hope this post clears up your confusion about my remarks.


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## Patico (Sep 24, 2017)

mrypg9 said:


> Just a couple of points: the piece published struck me as being somewhat incomplete. I'd like to see the whole document, not just that section of it.
> 
> My second point is this: Spain has many excellent laws and regulations. What it does not have is adequate and efficient means of enforcing them. So anyone making an application for 'mercy' using that paragraph which on the face of it appears to waive rules in some cases may well find it very difficult and complicated, not to mention time-consuming, to do so.
> 
> We've seen from this Forum that some people have problems trying to do things that are or should be straightforward. So it's likely that someone asking the authorities to forgive the fact that they've flouted residency regulations, worked without a contract, not been covered by or paid into Social Security and cheated the tax system may not be given an easy ride, no?


I just assume that information supplied by the Spanish Government on their website is correct and accurate information not questioning who, what and where its enforced on an individual basis as every case I expect would be different.


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## Patico (Sep 24, 2017)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Exactly, your mistake!
> 
> For goodness sake, talk about wanting to pick a fight.
> I think the interpretation of the law might be different to that which the OP and friend are hoping for,but I don't know, I don't know too much about this law, but I do know that Spanish law at least is very much open to interpretation.
> ...


Yes thank you for the clarification and once again my humble apologies for misinterpreting your quote.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

If I read it correctly, I wonder whether this might be a solution for Brits, post-Brexit.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> If I read it correctly, I wonder whether this might be a solution for Brits, post-Brexit.


If something seems too good to be true, it usually is too good to be true. If what is in this section is indeed so easily done for overstayers, why have the regulations relating to residency in the first place

Regardless of what this website says, I'll give it more credence in actual practice when I meet someone who's got away with cheating various systems -tax, employment law, residency, social security - in the flesh, so to speak.

Spanish Government, regional and municipal websites say all sorts of things...


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

I know someone who got arraigo. An American, married to a Spaniard for 8 years and with legal residency in Spain all that time as a family member of an EU citizen, got divorced. Suddenly she found herself in an "irregular" situation of not having valid residency since she was no longer a family member of an EU citizen. She applied for arraigo so she could stay here in Spain where she had a house and a job, and it was granted to her.

I think arraigo was designed for situations like this and not for people who have never been here legally.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> If something seems too good to be true, it usually is too good to be true. If what is in this section is indeed so easily done for overstayers, why have the regulations relating to residency in the first place


My thoughts too


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## Brangus (May 1, 2010)

Michael Kelly said:


> Working without papers in Spain is not a crime, it is merely an administrative issue.


In the links below, you can see that the Spanish government considers it a "grave infraction" punishable by a fine of up to 10,000 euro or deportation. That is for someone like your friend who has never had a residence permit and has been working without a contract.

Any business that has employed her has committed a "very grave infraction" and can be fined up to 100,000 euro per illegal employee plus the amount that should have been paid to Seguridad Social over the years. In addition, the business can be shut down for up to five years.

.: Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social :.

https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2000-544&tn=1&p=20170628#a52


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## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

So, I googled the topic and found many lawyer videos about the arraigo routes. Apparently for the arraigo laboral it seems it's a requirement that you denounce your employer. 

So I guess the arraigo laboral is a way to catch those employers on the wrong side of the law and contain the problem in that manner. I guess those using this route must be willing to risk losing their job.


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## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

Brangus said:


> In the links below, you can see that the Spanish government considers it a "grave infraction" punishable by a fine of up to 10,000 euro or deportation. That is for someone like your friend who has never had a residence permit and has been working without a contract.
> 
> Any business that has employed her has committed a "very grave infraction" and can be fined up to 100,000 euro per illegal employee plus the amount that should have been paid to Seguridad Social over the years. In addition, the business can be shut down for up to five years.
> 
> ...


Apparently that's not the case. In the link, in case 3 it is stated:

Un Subinspector de Empleo y S.S. comprueba que un inmigrante perteneciente a un país no comunitario está trabajando *por cuenta propia* sin contar con la correspondiente autorización de trabajo. ¿Cuáles son las consecuencias para dicho trabajador irregular?

(emphasis added)

Thus, it seems to concern only those who are self-employed. However, I wonder how someone in OP's friend's situation will be seen, if they don't have a contract, would they be viewed as working 'por cuenta propia' and not 'por cuenta ajena'?

In case 2 it also mentions deportation, but it discusses the case of a foreigner who is illegally employing others. 

Thus it appears employees (who are employed illegally by locals or foreigners) do not risk deportation nor fines.

It seems to me Spain takes more of a human rights motivated stance (I mean with these options and not penalizing the employee - at least the one who comes forward).


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

expat16 said:


> Apparently that's not the case. In the link, in case 3 it is stated:
> 
> Un Subinspector de Empleo y S.S. comprueba que un inmigrante perteneciente a un país no comunitario está trabajando *por cuenta propia* sin contar con la correspondiente autorización de trabajo. ¿Cuáles son las consecuencias para dicho trabajador irregular?
> 
> ...



How crap is that, work for various places for twelve years and the to get your own situation ok turn the tables on other all because of, I think the OP called it an “administration error”


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## Brangus (May 1, 2010)

expat16 said:


> Apparently that's not the case.


Maybe that first link was confusing.

The second link is to the Boletín Oficial del Estado and the specific articles of the law that those examples are based on. Articles 51 to 58 are key. Working without even a residence permit is a grave infraction punishable by a fine or deportation.

The OP's friend needs a lawyer experienced in these matters.


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## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

Hmmm Art. 51 indeed does call these offences 'administrative offences'.

I've read the articles, and deportation can be applied but it must be applied subject to the principle of proportionality.

It appears that the articles also delegate the initiation of proceedings to the SS agency, and it appears that in this capacity, the SS agency (based on the examples on their website), have decided that they will seek deportation only in the cases of the self-employed. 

I guess that the SS, in applying the principle of proportionality, views the foreigner that creates their own employment as exhibiting greater intent of violating the law and bearing more responsibility for their situation than a foreigner whose illegal situation is being enabled by someone else.

Of course, OP should consult a lawyer, I'm just commenting on an interesting topic (and procrastinating).


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## Michael Kelly (May 30, 2017)

Very interesting discussion. Yes, Spain has many rules and regulations but enforcement, as mentioned above, is often very lax. To give just one example, there are thousands of Africans who came to Spain illegally and now have residence papers. There was an amnesty a few years ago but they can't all have benefited from that.

And what about the "manteros"? In Barcelona they sell their counterfeit goods by the port without any interference from the police. They have even set up their own "trade union" and web site! (Manteros - Sindicato popular de vendedores ambulantes.) How do local shopkeepers who pay their tax feel about that? Ironically although the website features a manteros brand of clothing, all I ever see them selling are Nike ripoffs. 

And as for that 10,000 euro fine for working illegally, I would love to know if anyone has ever actually paid it. 

In the light of all this, what harm in giving work papers to an English Teacher?


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## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

Michael Kelly said:


> Very interesting discussion. Yes, Spain has many rules and regulations but enforcement, as mentioned above, is often very lax. To give just one example, there are thousands of Africans who came to Spain illegally and now have residence papers. There was an amnesty a few years ago but they can't all have benefited from that.
> 
> And what about the "manteros"? In Barcelona they sell their counterfeit goods by the port without any interference from the police. They have even set up their own "trade union" and web site! (Manteros - Sindicato popular de vendedores ambulantes.) How do local shopkeepers who pay their tax feel about that? Ironically although the website features a manteros brand of clothing, all I ever see them selling are Nike ripoffs.
> 
> ...


I imagine there is no issue with one-off special scenarios which those arraigo permits aim to cover, but I think that if people started abusing these provisions there would be problems.

The 'issue' is that Spain is an EU member, and as such, in granting work permits, it must first ascertain that the role cannot be filled by an EU citizen. They probably risk EU fines otherwise.

In the case of the manteros, (assuming this would be a legal job) it's hard to make a case that they're taking work away from EU citizens. 

But in the specific case of a (native) English teacher the reality is that under EU law, Spain should make sure those jobs go to EU citizens first (e.g. UK, Ireland etc). The law even provides that EU permanent residents must also be considered before hiring from outside of EU.

In return, if UK is looking for native Spanish teachers, it should give preference to EU nationals (eg. Spain) over eg. a Mexican citizen.

I think the provision exists because like you said, Spain enforcement is not very good, and I think there might be a social human rights issue related to uprooting an established person.


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## Michael Kelly (May 30, 2017)

expat16 said:


> In the case of the manteros, (assuming this would be a legal job) it's hard to make a case that they're taking work away from EU citizens.


Thanks a lot. This is one of the funniest lines I have ever read on an internet forum.

In case you were being serious, the manteros take business away from local shops and this leads to job losses. A kiosk in Barceloneta recently had to close because their presence blocks customer access. They also sell mainly counterfeit goods which is illegal and they illegally occupy public spaces. On top of that they are quite violent and you risk being assaulted if you accidentally step on their products.


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## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

Michael Kelly said:


> Thanks a lot. This is one of the funniest lines I have ever read on an internet forum.
> 
> In case you were being serious, the manteros take business away from local shops and this leads to job losses. A kiosk in Barceloneta recently had to close because their presence blocks customer access. They also sell mainly counterfeit goods which is illegal and they illegally occupy public spaces. On top of that they are quite violent and you risk being assaulted if you accidentally step on their products.


Oh I wasn't aware they took business away. I really dislike the manteros, I remember once in Venice after leaving the theatre at night walking back to the hotel trying to get out of the maze of small streets and they were there blocking nearly every possible exit from that area, standing in an intimidating way like they owned the place! 

It seems in Barcelona the mossos really tolerate them. In Madrid at least in the past I remember they would alert each other and pack up quickly if police was nearby.


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## Tigerlillie (Apr 7, 2015)

Michael Kelly said:


> Very interesting discussion. Yes, Spain has many rules and regulations but enforcement, as mentioned above, is often very lax. To give just one example, there are thousands of Africans who came to Spain illegally and now have residence papers. There was an amnesty a few years ago but they can't all have benefited from that.
> 
> And what about the "manteros"? In Barcelona they sell their counterfeit goods by the port without any interference from the police. They have even set up their own "trade union" and web site! (Manteros - Sindicato popular de vendedores ambulantes.) How do local shopkeepers who pay their tax feel about that? Ironically although the website features a manteros brand of clothing, all I ever see them selling are Nike ripoffs.
> 
> ...


I often wonder how people who work and/or stay illegally in a foreign country feel about illegals in their own country.
I wonder how the OP's friend feels about illegal Mexicans and whether she is of the same opinion as the sentence I have highlighted, after all what harm in giving Mexicans work papers.


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