# Moving to Spain late August Coin / Alhaurin el Grande)



## sgje2010 (Apr 11, 2015)

Hi we are moving to the Coin / Alhaurin el Grande area late August and would appreciate any advice really.

There will be myself and my 18 year old daughter and we will initially stay with my Mum for a few weeks until we find a cheap property to rent (any tips here would be great). We are after a 3 bed with outside space as we are bringing our pooch too).

Timeline advice on getting NIE, bank accounts etc would be great.

What can we expect in the way of healthcare? I understand we need private medical insurance, what would be a reasonable price expectation? We are both in good health.... at the minute.... fingers crossed!

We will both be looking for work and are currently learning Spanish in preparation. I have noticed care jobs advertised, these would be great for my daughter as it is of interest to her long term.

I have a varied admin / PA / Credit Control background but am willing to do anything from cleaning to caring. A new experience would be great. Realistically, we need to earn approx 600 euros each per month. Is this achievable?

Is it easy to make new friends? We are hoping to fully immerse ourselves into the local life both English and Spanish if that makes sense but my daughter is extremely shy :-/

Thank you in advance of any help / guidance you can share with us.

Sharon


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

sgje2010 said:


> Hi we are moving to the Coin / Alhaurin el Grande area late August and would appreciate any advice really.
> 
> There will be myself and my 18 year old daughter and we will initially stay with my Mum for a few weeks until we find a cheap property to rent (any tips here would be great). We are after a 3 bed with outside space as we are bringing our pooch too).
> 
> ...


Go out for a holiday first. Don't burn your uk bridges. To be able to qualify for healthcare, you and your daughter will need an employment contract. Sadly, although AEG has many British, the work there isn't as it was a few years ago. Many British have returned to Britain. So it won't be easy to find anything 

Jo xxx

Sent from my D5803 using Expat Forum


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## littlecritterz (Nov 29, 2012)

This company often advertises for carers in Spain, some of them are on an hourly basis others are when you live with the person needing caring (for example 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off etc). Pay is reasonable and they also put you on official contracts so you would be covered for health care. Caring Carers, Care Agency
Also check out this facebook page, they advertise jobs all over the costa del sol https://www.facebook.com/groups/183575575069778/


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Work is going to be a real problem with unemployment over 20%, 30% in some areas and over 50% for the under25 age group.

I believe many people travel back to the UK from Spain to do care work, as there just aren't any steady jobs.

You and your daughter will each have to apply for residence (which will include your NI number) separately within 90 days of arrival. To do so you will either need proof of legal contracted work or have to show that you each have private healthcare and approx 600€ being paid into a Spanish bank per month. Some areas also ask for approx 6000€ savings per person in a Spansih bank instead of or as well as the monthly income.

Have a good read of the FAQ thread where you will find lots of info about this and other things like property websites.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I used to live near to AEG for a while, in fact I worked in a cafe there - until it went bust, as many companies have there. The recession hit the area hard, with many folk returning to the uk (including us).

The last time I went there - ok, about three years ago now, it was a ghost town compared to how it had been pre-recession. But maybe it's picking up again now????

Please don't burn your uk bridges, until you're sure

Jo xxx

Sent from my D5803 using Expat Forum


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## sgje2010 (Apr 11, 2015)

jojo said:


> Go out for a holiday first. Don't burn your uk bridges. To be able to qualify for healthcare, you and your daughter will need an employment contract. Sadly, although AEG has many British, the work there isn't as it was a few years ago. Many British have returned to Britain. So it won't be easy to find anything
> 
> Jo xxx
> 
> Sent from my D5803 using Expat Forum


Hi 

Thank you for taking the time to reply, 

We have been out many times for holidays as my Mum has lived in Spain for 12 years and have decided there is nothing for us in the UK any more. So with that in mind, we are determined to do everything we can to make this work.... including crossed fingers and toes :-/

Can you let me know what AEG is?

Many thanks


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## sgje2010 (Apr 11, 2015)

littlecritterz said:


> This company often advertises for carers in Spain, some of them are on an hourly basis others are when you live with the person needing caring (for example 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off etc). Pay is reasonable and they also put you on official contracts so you would be covered for health care.
> Also check out this facebook page, they advertise jobs all over the costa del sol
> 
> This is brilliant, thank you so much. I will scour the link in hope
> ...


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## sgje2010 (Apr 11, 2015)

brocher said:


> Work is going to be a real problem with unemployment over 20%, 30% in some areas and over 50% for the under25 age group.
> 
> I believe many people travel back to the UK from Spain to do care work, as there just aren't any steady jobs.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the info.

We have the 6000 (don't know where to find a euro symbol) each in prep for the residence and NIE.

It sounds quite scary the lack of employment but then I sat and thought about it. I am employed in the UK, the wage was dropped dramatically to keep our jobs and save the company so now I earn a pittance. I have applied for 50+ jobs and made it through to one interview in the last 4 months so the job fight is going to be on par I guess :-/ The only difference being the climate 

Thanks again


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## sgje2010 (Apr 11, 2015)

jojo said:


> I used to live near to AEG for a while, in fact I worked in a cafe there - until it went bust, as many companies have there. The recession hit the area hard, with many folk returning to the uk (including us).
> 
> The last time I went there - ok, about three years ago now, it was a ghost town compared to how it had been pre-recession. But maybe it's picking up again now????
> 
> ...


Ah worked out what AEG is..... oh dear.... Head slapping moment on my end!


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## sgje2010 (Apr 11, 2015)

littlecritterz said:


> This company often advertises for carers in Spain, some of them are on an hourly basis others are when you live with the person needing caring (for example 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off etc). Pay is reasonable and they also put you on official contracts so you would be covered for health care. Caring Carers, Care Agency
> Also check out this facebook page, they advertise jobs all over the costa del sol https://www.facebook.com/groups/183575575069778/


Thank you for ther facebook link, it lead me to an agency in Gibraltar that looks promising


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

sgje2010 said:


> Thank you for the info.
> 
> We have the 6000 (don't know where to find a euro symbol) each in prep for the residence and NIE.
> 
> ...


I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but it won't be on a par. It will be worse, much, much worse.

For you, unemployment in that area of Spain is probably around 30% against less than 6% in the UK...... that alone is 5 times worse.

For your daughter, it will be nearly 60% against 16% in the UK.... so her prospects are already 3 a 4 times worse than in the UK.

While you are learning Spanish, which is great, neither of you will be anything like fluent, so your job prospects for almost any of the types of work you could do, have just dropped significantly because you will be up against millions of fluent Spanish speakers, many of whom will be bi/ multilingual......and more than happy to work for a pittance because they are absolutely desperate, having not a penny of income for entire families.

If you've applied for 50 jobs in the UK with only one interview, how do you think that might translate statistically against Spanish unemployment rates?

Thousands of highly qualified young Spaniards are leaving to get work in countries like the UK and Germany.

Can you both manage to survive for months if you don't get work? You won't qualify for any state benefits.

I wish you luck but, as Jojo says, please have a back up plan in place.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

You need the cash in the bank and contracted employment with a wage of at least 600 euros a month each before you qualify for a NIE. 
I live on the coast, about an hour's drive from AEG. I can only echo what Brocher says. Unemployment is high in the Malaga region, around 34%. It's decreased slightly of late as the summer season starts and seasonal work kicks in. 
There's a huge difference between speaking a little Spanish and being competent enough to work in a bi or multi-lingual environment. A lot of employers now require fluent Spanish plus one other language, Dutch, German or even Russian, from native English speakers.
Some British immigrants come over and live as 'submarines', not registering, not paying taxes, working on the black. This is not to be recommended. Long hours and low wages are par for the course for illegals and in any case the police are cracking down on this kind of activity. Besides, cleaning people's loos and pools for 4 euros or less an hour from dawn to dusk isn't really a 'Spanish dream'. 
Your best course is to come to Spain for a couple of months and make your own investigation. You never know, you may strike lucky. Some do. But don't be under any illusion that the situation in Spain is equivalent to that n the UK. It isn't. It's much, much worse.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

You do not need money in the bank to get a NIE


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Rabbitcat said:


> You do not need money in the bank to get a NIE


Are you sure?


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Yip


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

that's correct - you don't need money in the bank to get a NIE - just enough to pay for the cert istslf  

you do, of course, need a good reason & some extranjerías are now asking for proof of that reason

& if you're moving here you need to register as resident, & as mentioned - you will need funds in the bank &/or income for that


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## sgje2010 (Apr 11, 2015)

Thanks for all your replies.

We have enough funds to live for a year so can cover the 6000 each in the bank no problems.

I maybe didn't explain myself well enough. I appreciate it will not be asy to find work but then again.... I am a very determined person ;-)

I also have an interview in Gib next week woohoo!! It starts right here!


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## sgje2010 (Apr 11, 2015)

Just thought I would come back and update on how we got on...

We did indeed move over here 26th August, we chose Manilva in the end and we have both found full time work within 4 weeks of arriving!

We love our new home, love the climate and have made some lovely friends, a couple I envisage being life long!

The flights out with the pooch went smoothly, opening bank accounts, switching to spanish mobiles, sorting the broadband and landline, getting NIE numbers and Social Security sorted and purchasing my lovely beast of a car (said tongue in cheek) and in fact the worst thing that has happened has been my phone being blocked for 24 hours and trying to get it unblocked when I am only just starting to learn Spanish! 

So all in all, we are here and it's doubtful we will ever want to leave.... Life will surely let us know!

What I have found out is that there are literally hundreds of jobs, I was offered 4 and chose the one I wanted. You just had to be prepared to put some effort in and spend 4 hours a day searching on the net and through Facebook, newspapers and door knocking with CV's. It worked very well for us!

So that's it in a nutshell. We came and we never want to return


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

That's really good news, especially about the jobs. Well done to you both. I suppose it just shows that comments on how difficult if not impossible it is to find work here might be better left to those who have actually tried it, rather than those like myself who never have and just rely on newspaper reports on the unemployment situation.

Thank you very much for the update and I hope things continue to go well.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> That's really good news, especially about the jobs. Well done to you both. I suppose it just shows that comments on how difficult if not impossible it is to find work here might be better left to those who have actually tried it, rather than those like myself who never have and just rely on newspaper reports on the unemployment situation.
> 
> Thank you very much for the update and I hope things continue to go well.


That is incredible, finding jobs so quickly and so many available. Good luck for the future.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

You are very lucky unemployment went up in Aug and Sept. I read today that 1 in 4 contracts are for less than 7 days! Are you working for an expat business?

Uno de cada cuatro contratos temporales tiene una duración inferior a siete días


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## sgje2010 (Apr 11, 2015)

Hi

The job I accepted was an expat business but the 3 I turned down were all in Gib in various types of business.


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## sgje2010 (Apr 11, 2015)

Plus I don't think luck had much to do with it if I am honest. We worked very hard and put an enormous amount of effort into our searching so probably more hard work and persistence in our case. Too many people think that jobs will knock on their door when the reality is you have to fight hard for them if you wish to succeed.


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## sgje2010 (Apr 11, 2015)

Hepa said:


> That is incredible, finding jobs so quickly and so many available. Good luck for the future.


Thank you


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## sgje2010 (Apr 11, 2015)

Lynn R said:


> That's really good news, especially about the jobs. Well done to you both. I suppose it just shows that comments on how difficult if not impossible it is to find work here might be better left to those who have actually tried it, rather than those like myself who never have and just rely on newspaper reports on the unemployment situation.
> 
> Thank you very much for the update and I hope things continue to go well.


Thank you


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Its not so much luck, or indeed hard work, but having the right skill set and more importantly, being in the right place at the right time. Its harder to get work in Spain than the UK, but in both countries, there are still those who will get a job and those who wont. As long as you have an employment contract, so you can receive free healthcare and earn enough to live on then you have hit the jackpot!!! Well done and enjoy

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

It's good you have found work, hopefully secure, adequately paid work which you enjoy. 
As you say, a lot of work went into your search but most importantly you had enough savings to live on until you found a job that suited.
I agree with Jo. Yes, you have to have the right skills, aptitude, personality but you also need to be in the right place at the right time. The knack lies in being at that place at that time!
Once you have your feet under the table you'll start making those invaluable contacts. It's always easier to find work when you have work.
Of course there will always be jobs in Spain. People move on, retire, die, new businesses open.
But with so many unemployed it's not as easy as some who say they are coming to work here think.
As you say, perseverance and effort are needed.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Lynn R said:


> That's really good news, especially about the jobs. Well done to you both. I suppose it just shows that comments on how difficult if not impossible it is to find work here might be better left to those who have actually tried it, rather than those like myself who never have and just rely on newspaper reports on the unemployment situation.
> 
> Thank you very much for the update and I hope things continue to go well.


When you have needed skills you will find work, that simple really. The folk who come to this forum with the 'I can turn my hand to anything/hairdresser/beautician' et al won't find work or if they do they will be earning not a lot an hour




I wish the OP all the best for their new life.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

bob_bob said:


> When you have needed skills you will find work, that simple really. The folk who come to this forum with the 'I can turn my hand to anything/hairdresser/beautician' et al won't find work or if they do they will be earning not a lot an hour
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have misgivings myself when people say they can turn their hand to anything, but as a matter of fact, being a hairdresser or beautician is one area where work is not too difficult to come by in areas of Spain where there is a demand for English speaking people to provide these services. There are dozens of such people working in hair and beauty just in this area, in Puente de Don Manuel, Torre del Mar, Torrox Costa and above all in Nerja, some running their own salons but many more employed within them. The one I know best has been here for over 10 years and worked in several salons, always had a work contract and earns not a bad hourly rate for Spain - she has to because her husband, who was a steel erector, has never had a job since they moved here. Fortunately, her earnings are enough to support them both. The hourly rate may not be brilliant (nor are they particularly well paid occupations in the UK) but I am told the tips can increase earnings quite a bit, and I don't suppose for one minute they get declared to the taxman.


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## el romeral (May 8, 2012)

Well done OP. Bet you are glad you did not listen to all the doom merchants on here!:rofl:


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