# Australian looking to move and work in spain. Help wanted.



## Laracameron (Mar 16, 2020)

Hi my partner and I are both Australian citizens looking to live and work in Spain. 
We are struggling to find work and hoping someone can help us or provide us with contacts to assist us in finding work. 
My partner is 31 and speaks English and Spanish fluently. He is university educated and in Australia works professionally for the government. He is interested in international relations, aid and development policy. 
Can anyone suggest some work opportunities for him? 
Please also let us know of other working opportunities that could allow us to have an income until we find other more permanent jobs.


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

Unless you hold EU passports it is virtually impossible for you to come to Spain and work. You'd need a work visa, and to get that you must first find a job that's willing to do the paperwork to sponsor your visa request. Since there's such high unemployment in Spain (about 14%) there are plenty of Spanish workers for each job opening. That means companies aren't interested in trying to higher a foreigner. At any rate, as part of the visa paperwork they have to prove that there's no EU citizen available to do the job, so unless the job is something highly specific and technical the visa application would be denied. 

Your best bet might be to find a job with an Australian company with a branch in Spain. 

Sorry to be so negative about it but that's just the way things are.


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## Laracameron (Mar 16, 2020)

No need to apologise I imagined that this would be the case. Could anyone suggest any other countries where we may have a better chance to relocate and work?
Perhaps any agencies or organisations that could assist us as well?


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## paulhe (Jan 2, 2018)

Laracameron said:


> No need to apologise I imagined that this would be the case. Could anyone suggest any other countries where we may have a better chance to relocate and work?
> Perhaps any agencies or organisations that could assist us as well?


with your partner's education level and skills consider applying UK Diplomatic service, as a Commonwealth citizen he is entitled to apply

https://www.faststream.gov.uk/faqs/index.htm

paull


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## scoobyroo (Apr 21, 2020)

Hi Lara, I have lived in Spain several years but never thought of trying to work here but instead found it much easier to get work in North European countries instead. For a bit of background, Spain has free university education so there is a very large number of well educated young people but no work for them. Instead the option is to keep studying, find work not requiring university education or leave Spain. Also, working for the government is the preferred option for many Spanish and there are so many people applying that they hold very difficult exams (oposiciones) to try and keep the numbers down. To pass the exams, many people study for many years after University in the hope to pass the exams but many never do and so stay at home with M&D until they either pass or give up and leave Spain or find other work.

Unfortunately after years of recession much of Europe is the same and work visa restrictions have steadily tightened over the last 10 years as well.. so it is very difficult.

Perhaps the UK is your best bet but even their work permits are much more difficult than they were 10 years ago. The skilled migrant visa no longer exists. 

One option is a business visa in the UK where you go and say you will open a business and invest money, for example a cafe or restaurant. If you do that then the spouse gets a work permit and can then get a job.

Also in Geneva and Vienna the United Nations will sponsor your work permit however again there are many people applying for these jobs and for many jobs that are posted, they already know who they want but are forced to advertise even though they will never take anyone. The best way to work for the UN is via some consulting company.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

scoobyroo said:


> Hi Lara, I have lived in Spain several years but never thought of trying to work here but instead found it much easier to get work in North European countries instead. For a bit of background, Spain has free university education so there is a very large number of well educated young people but no work for them. Instead the option is to keep studying, find work not requiring university education or leave Spain. Also, working for the government is the preferred option for many Spanish and there are so many people applying that they hold very difficult exams (oposiciones) to try and keep the numbers down. To pass the exams, many people study for many years after University in the hope to pass the exams but many never do and so stay at home with M&D until they either pass or give up and leave Spain or find other work.
> 
> Unfortunately after years of recession much of Europe is the same and work visa restrictions have steadily tightened over the last 10 years as well.. so it is very difficult.
> 
> ...


Spain does not have free Uni education. It might be cheaper than other countries and it might be subsidized, but it's not free. It can cost, very approx 10,000€ less in some places more in others


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## scoobyroo (Apr 21, 2020)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Spain does not have free Uni education. It might be cheaper than other countries and it might be subsidized, but it's not free. It can cost, very approx 10,000€ less in some places more in others


Ok, thanks for the correction. But the fact remains that there are alot of well educated young people without work.. many more so than Australia.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

If you have a UK-born grandparent, you qualify for ancestry visa in UK with the right to work.


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## fortrose52 (Nov 29, 2018)

You could try EU websites that have positions at EU headquarters and have offices for World Development work etc. Or indeed the Embassies


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

scoobyroo said:


> Ok, thanks for the correction. But the fact remains that there are alot of well educated young people without work


 That's true! And the "New Normal" as they are calling it will include huge unemployment figures, more than in the last crisis and Spain was one of the worst hit European countries with the young people(under 30's) being hit hardest


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

Joppa said:


> If you have a UK-born grandparent, you qualify for ancestry visa in UK with the right to work.


Also check if you have any close relatives that were born on the 'island of Ireland' which includes both 
Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland; to pave the way to you possibly being entitled to an
Irish Passport for the Republic of Ireland. That will not only open up the Irish Republic as a place
to live & work but many EU countries ( inc Spain ) under the EU's Free Movement of labour rules.


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