# Living/working in Spain



## Karen&Serena (Feb 2, 2014)

Hi there,

We are new to all this and only just signed up to our first forum.
We are wanting to move to Spain, Costa Del Sol, amongst other British expats.
We are hoping to find permanent work and accommodation before landing in Spain and was wondering if anyone could help and advise us please. We are looking to arrive at the end of April this year.

Thank you


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Karen&Serena said:


> Hi there,
> 
> We are new to all this and only just signed up to our first forum.
> We are wanting to move to Spain, Costa Del Sol, amongst other British expats.
> ...



Hi, if you take a look thru some of the threads on here, you'll see that work is very hard to come by. There is major unemployment for the Spanish and even worse for ex pats. However, if you have a profession that is sought after in Spain and you have a competent level of spoken and written Spanish, you may have a chance???

Jo xxx


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Karen&Serena said:


> Hi there,
> 
> We are new to all this and only just signed up to our first forum.
> We are wanting to move to Spain, Costa Del Sol, amongst other British expats.
> ...


You might find work in Gibraltar; lots of people travel there from areas in Spain surrounding it. 

Davexf


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## Micksan (Feb 2, 2014)

Hi,sorry to say but...forget the idea of finding work....its a no go...if you speak fluent Spanish...you stand some sort of chance i suppose...to give you an idea of wages...you can hire a Spanish labourer for around 25 euro per day....


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

UK unemployment: under 7%. Spanish national unemployment: 26%. Unemployment in Malaga Province: 34%.
There are six million Spaniards desperately seeking work. In Spain there is no comprehensive welfare system as in the UK. What there is is contribution-based, not residence-based as in the UK.
I dare say that all these unemployed people, very many struggling to feed families and keep a roof over their heads and subsisting on very low unemployment pay, are 'hard-working', 'think of all the angles' and will 'turn their hand to anything'....
I mention these because people from the UK hoping to find work here often tell us they are in possession of these attributes (as if unemployed Spaniards aren't) and sadly, these alone won't find jobs.
As well as the six million unemployed Spaniards there are also a fair number of Spanish-speaking British immigrants resident here also seeking work.
Spain has imposed requirements on people wishing to live and work here which include having a monthly income of around £600 paid into a Spanish bank account plus savings of £6000 plus medical insurance.
So what it comes down to is that unless you have a job with a contract lined up or income from a UK business you can continue in Spain or are retired with sufficient income, it's best to stay home, especially if you have a job in the UK.
I'm not telling you this to be 'negative' or burst a bubble but because, sadly, it's how things are and will be for some time. Spain is in deep crisis and likely to be for years to come.
Wanting to leave the cold, wet and miserable UK is understandable, especially at this time of year and even more so if you've got fond memories of holidays in the sun on a Spanish beach. But Spain of 2014 isn't the Spain of, say, ten years ago. For many people who emigrated here, their 'Spanish dream' has turned into a nightmare.
But if you have secure, well-paid employment or speak fluent Spanish and have professional qualifications that are recognised in Spain you may, just may, be able to find work.
But tbh the chances are slim as there is an awful lot of competition and in Spain it's who you know not what you know that counts.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Re unemployment figures in last post "UK unemployment: under 7%. Spanish national unemployment: 26%. Unemployment in Malaga Province: 34%" - I would just add that unemployment in the under 26 age group is somewhere around 60%, and I'm guessing you fall into that age group, and are maybe just looking for sime summer work? If so, the chances, as others have said, are pretty much nil at the moment.

It's also a bad idea to arrange long term acommodation without viewing it first. A week or two in a cheap hotel while you find somewhere longterm is the way to go.

If you plan to stay 90days, then please note the requirement to register and show proof of income and healthcare.

If you are just looking for summer work, you should google and find some UK companies offering rep work to apply for. Of course, you'd have to go where they put you, which may not even be Spain.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

brocher said:


> Re unemployment figures in last post "UK unemployment: under 7%. Spanish national unemployment: 26%. Unemployment in Malaga Province: 34%" - I would just add that unemployment in the under 26 age group is somewhere around 60%, and I'm guessing you fall into that age group, and are maybe just looking for sime summer work? If so, the chances, as others have said, are pretty much nil at the moment.
> 
> It's also a bad idea to arrange long term acommodation without viewing it first. A week or two in a cheap hotel while you find somewhere longterm is the way to go.
> 
> ...


That's a good idea. My grandson got a holiday job during University vacation with Thomson last year ...poor boy got sent to Ibiza, to San Antonio, though....
The pay was poor, the hours long and he stuck it out for as long as he could.
From what he said it was pretty gruesome. He went as an organiser of children's entertainment and ended up singing and dancing in the evening shows the hotel put on as the people booked as entertainers got fed up with the pay and hours and went home.
But he lived to tell the tale...:smile:


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

mrypg9 said:


> That's a good idea. My grandson got a holiday job during University vacation with Thomson last year ...poor boy got sent to Ibiza, to San Antonio, though....
> The pay was poor, the hours long and he stuck it out for as long as he could.
> From what he said it was pretty gruesome. He went as an organiser of children's entertainment and ended up singing and dancing in the evening shows the hotel put on as the people booked as entertainers got fed up with the pay and hours and went home.
> But he lived to tell the tale...:smile:


My friend's daughter did the same during her uni holidays - children's entertainer on the CdS, no evening work, poor pay but free acommodation and some free trips organised for them on their days off.

Couldn't have been too bad, she's going to Turkey this year with the same company!


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## Karen&Serena (Feb 2, 2014)

Thanks everyone for your comments and advise it has given us an insight.
I worked in Cyprus last summer as a promoter and loved it and always wanted to move abroad. It's actually me and my mum who want to move and was maybe looking to start work in a hotel or a bar/restaurant of British owners and then go from there to finding more permanent work .... was thinking Tenerife.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Karen&Serena said:


> Thanks everyone for your comments and advise it has given us an insight.
> I worked in Cyprus last summer as a promoter and loved it and always wanted to move abroad. It's actually me and my mum who want to move and was maybe looking to start work in a hotel or a bar/restaurant of British owners and then go from there to finding more permanent work .... was thinking Tenerife.



Firstly, after arriving, you will have 90 days to register as residents. To do that you need to prove you both have income and healthcare covered - so ideally you will need jobs with a proper employment contract. Secondly, most bars, hotels and restaurants have ample of candidates to chose from with regards to staff as there is such high unemployment in Spain, so therefore, they are more likely to choose Spanish or bilingual expats - even if they're British owned, they are in Spain and therefore need spanish speakers.

Now isnt a good time in Spain or the Islands. But, maybe google search - but remember as well that you'd both need to be working, as wages are low and you both need that residencia

Jo xxx


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Google tenerifeforum

Pose the same questions there, you may find work in the south of Tenerife. Tourism is increasing in the larger of the Canary Islands

Good luck


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Karen&Serena said:


> Thanks everyone for your comments and advise it has given us an insight.
> I worked in Cyprus last summer as a promoter and loved it and always wanted to move abroad. It's actually me and my mum who want to move and was maybe looking to start work in a hotel or a bar/restaurant of British owners and then go from there to finding more permanent work .... was thinking Tenerife.



Tenerife..... You said Costa del Sol in your first post???:confused2:

Anyway, either place, you are unlikely to find bar/ restaurant work before you arrive- that kind of work tends to be "who you know" and "being in the right place, at the right time." Your chances of getting enough of this kind of work to live on, with a contract, is little better once you arrive unless you have contacts and a high level of Spanish. Other kinds of work is just as scarce unless, as has been pointed out, you have very desirable qualifications of some sort.

Don't forget, you have only 90 days to register as resident and show you have sufficient income and healthcare.


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## Peter_cph (Oct 11, 2013)

There seems to be a fair flow of job advertisment for native speakers of Germany, France, Holland, Denmark, Sweden etc. to work in all kind of call-centers. and the average pay in those callcenters are not too bad; around 16-18k euros per year. These jobs are mainly in Malaga and Barcelona. And they differs from anything between sales calls over tecnical support to IT management and HR recruting departments. There are some for native english speakers as well!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Peter_cph said:


> There seems to be a fair flow of job advertisment for native speakers of Germany, France, Holland, Denmark, Sweden etc. to work in all kind of call-centers. and the average pay in those callcenters are not too bad; around 16-18k euros per year. These jobs are mainly in Malaga and Barcelona. And they differs from anything between sales calls over tecnical support to IT management and HR recruting departments. There are some for native english speakers as well!



Most sales call centres seem to be commission only and for that you need to be autonomo (self employed), but it can be done if you're good at selling. But if you have the right technical requirements theres a chance??

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Peter_cph said:


> There seems to be a fair flow of job advertisment for native speakers of Germany, France, Holland, Denmark, Sweden etc. to work in all kind of call-centers. and the average pay in those callcenters are not too bad; around 16-18k euros per year. These jobs are mainly in Malaga and Barcelona. And they differs from anything between sales calls over tecnical support to IT management and HR recruting departments. There are some for native english speakers as well!


Whilst I agree that call centres have "a fair flow" of people in and out and yes, a small number of jobs are for native English speakers, I'm not so sure of the salaries you quote. I think there are lot more 1000€ and below than 1000€ and over jobs. It is worth checking out though


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## Karen&Serena (Feb 2, 2014)

wow thanks again everyone! We were set on Costa Del Sol but after reading the comments we're starting to think of other avenues such as Tenerife or Gibraltar where we may have a better chance of work. So much to research and think about and all this has been very helpful. Willing to start anywhere, just want to fulfil the dream of moving abroad


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Karen&Serena said:


> wow thanks again everyone! We were set on Costa Del Sol but after reading the comments we're starting to think of other avenues such as Tenerife or Gibraltar where we may have a better chance of work. So much to research and think about and all this has been very helpful. Willing to start anywhere, just want to fulfil the dream of moving abroad


Have just got back from class with a client whose company runs a call centre for toyoa, Mercedes and others. He says that an average salary for an agent in a call centre would be under 1000€ take home. With more experience and specialised training for a help desk for example it would be more. This is in Madrid...


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