# fewer than 54,000 Brits are registered as working in Spain



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

tbh I'm horrified but not that surprised at this figure - which amounts to something 5% of Brits known to be living here

do we really believe that only 5% are working??

(thanks to a couple of FB friends who occasionally post here for this link) 

https://news.kyero.com/2015/09/fore...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer


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## Helenameva (Aug 15, 2014)

I think the numbers would be several times multiplied if they did the survey in October when the English teachers are back at work.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

& of 1million+ legal Rumanians in Spain only 284 ,000 are working ???


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Helenameva said:


> I think the numbers would be several times multiplied if they did the survey in October when the English teachers are back at work.


even if it did, say 4 times or even 8 times- that's still very low 

& ime a huge number of English teachers aren't registered autónomo nor working on a contract anyway 

when I worked for an academy I was the only one there who was - & the owner of the academy wasn't best pleased when she realised that I was declaring the income - meant that questions were suddenly asked about how the academy managed with only one teacher apart from the owner..... for some reason she'd got away with only declaring herself & a receptionist as working there for years.......

apart from that, of all the hundreds of Brits I know who work in my town, maybe only a couple of dozen are teachers - & that includes those who work in the three International schools!


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Many, probably nearly all, of the English living here are retired and there are also many that are not registered in any form whatsoever, here or in the U.K. that are in full time employment.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Hepa said:


> Many, probably nearly all, of the English living here are retired and there are also many that are not registered in any form whatsoever, here or in the U.K. that are in full time employment.


not in Spain as a whole

& not judging by the adverts in English language papers & on FB in my area & many others


yes a majority may well be retired - but no way is it 95% either retired or too young to work


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

It could be correct. I don't know many British who work except those who run businesses. Majority are retirees and over 50.


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## Helenameva (Aug 15, 2014)

xabiachica said:


> even if it did, say 4 times or even 8 times- that's still very low
> 
> & ime a huge number of English teachers aren't registered autónomo nor working on a contract anyway
> 
> ...


My limited experience is the opposite to yours. But the teachers must make a bit of a difference to the figures, even if it's only as slight as you say, as the summer seasonal workers doing bar work and the like are even less likely to declare I suppose.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

A relative of mine lived and worked for many years for a U.K. company, in the south of Tenerife. Neither he nor his colleagues or the U.K. company were in any way whatsoever registered with the Authorities in Tenerife, they paid no tax no social, nothing.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Isobella said:


> It could be correct. I don't know many British who work except those who run businesses. Majority are retirees and over 50.


I, on the other hand don't know any retired British people and atm can only think of one retired American. all the rest are working and they are all connected to education in one way or other. Also, of the people that I actually know they are all on the books so to speak although I know *of* one person who works in the hotel trade (and has done for many years) and is not registered in any way.
I know quite a few Spanish people who don't declare , but they are all people who work in unstable or below minimum wage kind of things (odd jobs, musicians, cleaners, bar staff...), not office staff or people working in companies.
However, I see plenty of people advertising classes at silly prices, and plenty of academies offering silly salaries that the only way to do it is by not declaring and quite possibly by not registering


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## el romeral (May 8, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> tbh I'm horrified but not that surprised at this figure - which amounts to something 5% of Brits known to be living here
> 
> do we really believe that only 5% are working??
> 
> ...


Sounds like a very anti British tone? If you take away retired, children, people who work abroad, people looking for work and people who do not need to work then I would say that the figure is pretty high, wouldn't you?

I think you will find a similar picture with all nationalities especially the locals, so it is not just a British thing.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

...fewer.


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## amespana (Nov 10, 2009)

There are several Facebook sites where you will see Brits and other English speakers discussing work.Shared lifts,childcare,dog sitting etc.They don't seem to be aware that these forums are open but then again maybe the hacienda aren't bothered either.Too much hassle.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jimenato said:


> ...fewer.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

amespana said:


> There are several Facebook sites where you will see Brits and other English speakers discussing work.Shared lifts,childcare,dog sitting etc.They don't seem to be aware that these forums are open but then again maybe the hacienda aren't bothered either.Too much hassle.


One local group with over 7000 members is largely populated by Brits advertising their services

Yes of course some are running legit businesses or are registered autónomo

but many many- I'd go as far as to say the majority - aren't registered in any way - & are totally open about it 

a few days ago a local gestor posted about some changes to the autónomo system which will benefit those registered as unemployed who wish to start up a business

some wanted to know more, stating that it could help them - yet they already openly & heavily advertise their businesses, & have done for years - some have FB pages & even websites

When the _tarifa plana _came in a couple of years ago, quite a lot who were openly working & had been for years did actually register - but I know a lot who decided not to bother, since after 18 months it goes to the full rate

& I'm not talking about cleaners who work for next to nothing - I'm talking about some who earn a LOT


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

el romeral said:


> Sounds like a very anti British tone? If you take away retired, children, people who work abroad, people looking for work and people who do not need to work then I would say that the figure is pretty high, wouldn't you?
> 
> I think you will find a similar picture with all nationalities especially the locals, so it is not just a British thing.


not anti British - anti those who work on the black - of any nationality


I can't comment on the figures for the other nationalities in the article, but I do have some insight into Brits working in Spain


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> not anti British - anti those who work on the black - of any nationality
> 
> 
> I can't comment on the figures for the other nationalities in the article, but I do have some insight into Brits working in Spain


Yes, working on the black is obviously wrong, but don't you think the Spanish system tends to promote such practices, even now? I know reasonably well off Spanish families who employ cleaners and child minders but under the new regulations have to declare they are paying such people and therefore are required to pay SS contributions. They employ a cleaner for maybe 4 hours a week. It simply isn't worthwhile getting into SS payments (they tell me) so either they don't bother employing someone who desperately needs the work and money or they continue to do it in the black economy. Highly emotive but quite often governments get it hopelessly wrong...


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Hepa said:


> Many, probably nearly all, of the English living here are retired and there are also many that are not registered in any form whatsoever, here or in the U.K. that are in full time employment.


The last pair of retired Brits (excluding ourselves) left our town last week to return to the UK. All the rest are working, as are most of the other Northern Europeans I know in the vicinity. I've no idea how many of them pay into the Spanish SS system. Some work in Gibraltar, others work at home for companies based overseas.


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