# Moving to Andalusia



## SJRSJR (Jun 26, 2015)

Hi,

I am looking to move to Spain and read online that Andalusia has a good English speaking community. Could anyone give me more information? Best property places for long term rental? Best places to find a job vacancy? etc..

Thanks for the help in advance 

Sophie


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Welcome to the forum.

Well Andalucia is a big place, so you need to narrow it down a bit, by what you need to be close to - airport? Hospitals?? There are english people in Spain, but its hard to define a particular community, most occasionally meet up with each other tho. Work, unless you have a specialised profession wont be easy as there is mass unemployment in Spain. However, there are some IT jobs I believe, and Malaga has a technical area that maybe worth looking at.

Are you fluent with Spanish?? Do you have healthcare provision or will you need contracted employment??

Jo xxx


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## SJRSJR (Jun 26, 2015)

More specifically it was Costa de Almera that we viewed. Ideally near to shops, resturants etc as all of my work experience is in those fields and my partner specialises in sport/fitness. Unfortunely I don't speak Spanish but definitely willing to learn! 

Thank you for the advice.
Sophie xxx


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

SJRSJR said:


> More specifically it was Costa de Almera that we viewed. Ideally near to shops, resturants etc as all of my work experience is in those fields and my partner specialises in sport/fitness. Unfortunely I don't speak Spanish but definitely willing to learn!
> 
> Thank you for the advice.
> Sophie xxx


To be sensible, you'd need to secure a job - especially an employment contract before you get there really, unless you have private healthcare and an income. I'm not sure that there is much available in the way of sports or fitness??

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Unemployment in Andalucia is way above the national average. In my area it is above 30%.
Your chances of finding legal, contracted work in the fields you mention with no Spanish are near to zero. 
There are few 'English-speaking communities' as such in Andalucia, although there are towns such as Benalmadena and Torremolinos with a substantial number of British residents.

If you mean 'areas where there are English-speaking immigrants', you will find us all over, but Spanish is the language spoken here and you need to be really fluent to get work of any kind.
It's also often the case that finding a job depends on who you know. You need to be around for a while and part of a community to get these contacts.


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## SBEE (May 11, 2015)

mrypg9 said:


> Unemployment in Andalucia is way above the national average. In my area it is above 30%.
> Your chances of finding legal, contracted work in the fields you mention with no Spanish are near to zero.
> There are few 'English-speaking communities' as such in Andalucia, although there are towns such as Benalmadena and Torremolinos with a substantial number of British residents.
> 
> ...


Hi there. I am new on this site but wanted to get your opinion of my plans to travel this year to Málaga in order to relocate with my family. I am originally from England, completely bilingual English/Spanish after having worked in South America for 32 years, I have done office work (Executive Personal Assistant for high level executives), and have worked at the US Embassy. I am 53 years old with two daughters in their twenties, both professionals. We plan to move to Málaga in September and, in order to pay the bills, will have a go at almost anything. We need to relocate for security reasons since the country we currently live in is quite unsafe. Any recommendations will be hightly appreciated.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

SBEE said:


> Hi there. I am new on this site but wanted to get your opinion of my plans to travel this year to Málaga in order to relocate with my family. I am originally from England, completely bilingual English/Spanish after having worked in South America for 32 years, I have done office work (Executive Personal Assistant for high level executives), and have worked at the US Embassy. I am 53 years old with two daughters in their twenties, both professionals. We plan to move to Málaga in September and, in order to pay the bills, will have a go at almost anything. We need to relocate for security reasons since the country we currently live in is quite unsafe. Any recommendations will be hightly appreciated.


There is mass unemployment in Spain, so although you may have the language skills, so do most of the unemployed who are already there. You will need to have an employment contract and an income to become residents, unless you have both privately??

All you can do is look, search the net and send out your CV whenever possible. I dont know if this will be of any use?? Recruitment | Situations vacant | myservicesdirectory.com | surinenglish.com


Jo xxx


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Agree with Jo. Frankly, Malaga is the last place I'd come to looking for work of any kind.
The phrase 'willing to have a go at anything' is heard frequently on the lips of very many people here, both Spanish and immigrant.
As you are bilingual you may find it easier if you look in bigger cities, Madrid and Barcelona obviously immediately springing to mind.
You say your daughters are both 'professionals' but don't specify in which capacity or if they too are bilingual.
Youth unemployment in Spain overall is above 50%, in Malaga Province even higher.
Most work here is poorly paid, seasonal, temporary and in the tourist sector.


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## Leper (May 12, 2010)

I'm reading posts from two people pleading for a job and they are willing to work at anything. I wish I could give them some positive vibes and if I did I would be a hypocrite. 

Spain is just a half step above Greece in the debt repayment scheme. Unemployment remains high. Government Job Schemes are about as inspiring as the Rep of Ireland soccer team. When you look coldly at the situation in Spain it is difficult to see that (outside of the main cities) Spain is not a 3rd World Country. The Catalans want to drop Spain like it was AIDS. The Basques will follow sooner or later. The rest of us are watching the property market trying to decide when will we sell or can we sell? We're like the fishermen on the bank of a river waiting for the next catch and hoping the fish is big enough that we won't have to throw it back.

I would ask anybody thinking of looking for work in Spain to read back threads on this site. Take notes and before you lose anything decide Spain is not for you.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

No, Spain is most definitely not 'one step up above Greece' in 'any debt repayment scheme'. Sorry, but that is nonsense.
Greece has a public debt in the ratio of 180% of GDP. It may be about to leave the eurozone or have capital controls. Spain is in no way comparable. Spain's debt is mainly personal and corporate.
Neither can it be said to be a 'third world' country. Somalia is 'third world'. Afghanistan is 'third world'. Spain is not.
The term isn't used now anyway as the 'second world', the group of socialist states of Eastern and Central Europe dissolved almost thirty years ago. Spain is a lot better in every respect than these countries , states like Poland and the Czech Republic. I know. I lived there and know which I prefer.
Neither are we all waiting to sell our properties. We sold ours before we came to Spain and are happy renters with no worries. 
So we are not all frustrated would- be property sellers, unemployed, embittered failed bar or other business owners or struggling to keep afloat. Most of us are secure, content and satisfied with our new lives, wherever we have settled here.
However...you are, as you always are, 100% correct in your description of the employment chances for new immigrants, especially the hairdressers, plumbers, personal trainers and the 'willing to turn my hand to anything' brigade. I couldn't agree more with you when you tell it like it is here now and how it will be for many years to come.
But although the job situation is indeed dire the point can be blunted by needless exaggeration of the nation's economic woes. 25% unemployment is indeed dreadful.....but 75% have some kind of paid work. 
Most of us retired imigrants lucky enough to have no money worries, our health and aroof over our heads are doing very nicely, thankyou...
Which should not mean we close our eyes to the misery of those who aren't.


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## el pescador (Mar 14, 2013)

SJRSJR said:


> More specifically it was Costa de Almera that we viewed. Ideally near to shops, resturants etc as all of my work experience is in those fields and my partner specialises in sport/fitness. Unfortunely I don't speak Spanish but definitely willing to learn!
> 
> Thank you for the advice.
> Sophie xxx


Wouldn't put you off the Costa Almeria 

But work wise its worse this end of Andalusia right now.
The positives are property prices this end are cheaper than Malaga and so are rentals.


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