# Moving to Costa del Sol. HGV DRIVING



## bluerain

Hello everyone

I would really like to move to Costa del Sol. Regarding work I have an HGV license but am prepared to do most jobs. I'm 50 and plan to move in approximately a years time with my partner, she is a graphic designer. Any advice would be appreciated...


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## jojo

bluerain said:


> Hello everyone
> 
> I would really like to move to Costa del Sol. Regarding work I have an HGV license but am prepared to do most jobs. I'm 50 and plan to move in approximately a years time with my partner, she is a graphic designer. Any advice would be appreciated...


Find a job in the UK that enables you to travel to Spain maybe and your partner needs to find work via the internet, cos there isnt any in Spain. You need to have proof of income and healthcare to enable you to become a resident in Spain

Jo xxx


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## bluerain

jojo said:


> Find a job in the UK that enables you to travel to Spain maybe and your partner needs to find work via the internet, cos there isnt any in Spain. You need to have proof of income and healthcare to enable you to become a resident in Spain
> 
> Jo xxx


Thanks for reply. I will have a pension in 5 years but dont want to wait for that. Do most people have that all in place (residency etc) before they move or do they wait a few months till they are established?


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## whitenoiz

Bluerain...
You should check the validity of your class C vocational licence over here. 
The rules for HGV and PCV are somewhat different from the UK with regular mandatory training periods.
If you change your UK (EU) licence to a Spanish one you might well find that the vocational Class C or Class D entitlements are not included on the Spanish Licence. 
Furthermore I'm not sure but I recall seeing information that a UK licence's vocational entitlements cannot be used cannot be used in Spain for driving Spanish reg. vehicles.

You will need to research this subject very carefully. A possible starting point regarding the use of vocational licences issued in the UK in other parts of Europe could be the HR dept of National Express Coaches... they own the biggest coach company in southern Spain, ALSA.
See this link;
http://www.alsa.es/en/about-us/jobs-and-training/
Yes I know its a coach company, but I'm pretty sure the rules that apply to pro coach drivers also apply to HGV drivers.


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## bluerain

whitenoiz said:


> Bluerain...
> You should check the validity of your class C vocational licence over here.
> The rules for HGV and PCV are somewhat different from the UK with regular mandatory training periods.
> If you change your UK (EU) licence to a Spanish one you might well find that the vocational Class C or Class D entitlements are not included on the Spanish Licence.
> Furthermore I'm not sure but I recall seeing information that a UK licence's vocational entitlements cannot be used cannot be used in Spain for driving Spanish reg. vehicles.
> 
> You will need to research this subject very carefully. A possible starting point regarding the use of vocational licences issued in the UK in other parts of Europe could be the HR dept of National Express Coaches... they own the biggest coach company in southern Spain, ALSA.
> See this link;
> http://www.alsa.es/en/about-us/jobs-and-training/
> Yes I know its a coach company, but I'm pretty sure the rules that apply to pro coach drivers also apply to HGV drivers.


Thats very helpful thanks


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## VFR

whitenoiz said:


> Bluerain...
> You should check the validity of your class C vocational licence over here.
> The rules for HGV and PCV are somewhat different from the UK with regular mandatory training periods.
> If you change your UK (EU) licence to a Spanish one you might well find that the vocational Class C or Class D entitlements are not included on the Spanish Licence.
> Furthermore I'm not sure but I recall seeing information that a UK licence's vocational entitlements cannot be used cannot be used in Spain for driving Spanish reg. vehicles.
> 
> You will need to research this subject very carefully. A possible starting point regarding the use of vocational licences issued in the UK in other parts of Europe could be the HR dept of National Express Coaches... they own the biggest coach company in southern Spain, ALSA.
> See this link;
> http://www.alsa.es/en/about-us/jobs-and-training/
> Yes I know its a coach company, but I'm pretty sure the rules that apply to pro coach drivers also apply to HGV drivers.


As far as I am aware the holder of a Brit HGV licence will have no issues with their European licence anywhere in Europe. I exchanged my UK HGV Class 1 here without any issues & received a like for like licence in return.

PSV do though (as far as I know) have additional requirements imposed, as you have pointed out.
For instance a UK licence holder (depends on age of licence) may well have a minibus entitlement on a car licence, but when exchanging for a Spanish licence this entitlement will do be shown/given.

To the OP...........
As has been pointed out there is no work here in Spain & like the UK the place is awash with E/European HGV holders willing to work for silly money & they speak Spanish that is of course a requirement when looking for work.


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## jojo

bluerain said:


> Thanks for reply. I will have a pension in 5 years but dont want to wait for that. Do most people have that all in place (residency etc) before they move or do they wait a few months till they are established?


 The ruling is fairly new, since the crisis in Spain. Most people now when they move to Spain have it all in place. You get 90 days once you arrive before you must register as a resident. What you need to do beforehand is to fill out the S1 which you get from Newcastle, that gives you temporary healthcare cover (For a maximum of 2 years) until you start paying taxes in Spain via an employment contract and you must show that you have an income. 

Spain is in a severe crisis, austerity measures, high unemployment (the like of which dwarf the situation in the UK), many Spanish simply not being paid by their government employers and the benefit system is very limited, meaning lots dont get any financial help, so are desperate. Sadly its not easy to just go over there and pick up work. It would be easier to wait until you have your pension, but certainly make sure you have contracted employment before you get there

Jo xxx


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## olivefarmer

I too would say best to wait five years till you have certain income from a pension. You will need about 1000 euros a month to get by (some will come along and say maybe less and others will say they cannot manage on less than 2000).

I have an English friend married to a Spanish girl with 3 children. He paid to become HGV here but cannot get a job - they are very few and far between and go to friends and family first. They now live with her parents.

If your partner can get reliable work and do it via the Internet then it may be a goer. Choose a location with hard wired Internet Broadband as satelite/3G type solutions in the countryside are not cheap and are monthly bandwidth limited.

As far as the crisis is concerned here, it is only going to get worse in my view. Money will have to come from somewhere and that is the tax payer - you would pay tax here. 

Come over for a few weeks and see what rents, costs etc are like and just how very few jobs there are.


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## bluerain

Thanks everyone. I would like to move to a location with a warm climate obviously get involved with the local community etc but like the idea of there being an expat community as well


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## jojo

bluerain said:


> Thanks everyone. I would like to move to a location with a warm climate obviously get involved with the local community etc but like the idea of there being an expat community as well


 Go to the costa del sol and take a look. Maybe go in the winter when its cold, wet and windy - it will give you an idea of how things can be. Its not all warm and relaxed, but you'll get to see a more accurate picture. Look at prices, look at what work maybe available, look at how things are and get a feel for the whole place

Jo xxx


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## VFR

bluerain said:


> Hello everyone
> 
> I would really like to move to Costa del Sol. Regarding work I have an HGV license but am prepared to do most jobs. I'm 50 and plan to move in approximately a years time with my partner, she is a graphic designer. Any advice would be appreciated...


Well as you now know the Class 1 is a non runner (bye & large) here, but a good JCB driver/operator would I fancy get by with just basic Spanish and would have more chance of getting a *bit* of work once they became known locally.


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## bluerain

I am in the research phase at the moment but that is something I will do thanks


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## el cargador

As the UK is part of the European union it must accept foreign driving licences from othe EU countries.I have worked as a HGV driver for 10 years now in Alicante region
,I originally had a UK licence but then changed it to a Spanish one many years ago(there is a trick to getting your Spanish licence easily if you would like to know)
I have read on this Forum some people saying "be careful the rules are different here" "your UK HGV licence won´t be valid" you´ll have to take tests and exams" Total Bulls**t, Spain is part of the EU therefore the rules regarding HGV drivers hours/regulations and licences are the same in UK as in France, Spain or Italy.
Also i was told by an English guy once that "Spanish companies won´t take on English drivers" once again total Rubbish!!! 
Firstly,i presume you speak Spanish? NO i hear you cry,well there`s your first problem and asking for Una beer and un Sandwich de queso when you were on holiday in Ibiza 20 years ago is´nt going to be enough,so if you go into a traffic office and ask for a job he´s just going to shrug his shoulders and grunt at you....so learn some basics before you come.
Secondly,As a foreigner(until you become more fluent) your only option will be to do international driving,and as Spain exports A LOT of fruit,drivers are always in demand especially in the South,but fruit is seasonal as are the drivers ,companies typically have a certain proportion of staff "fixed" and "temporary" contracts,laying off staff when the season ends (July/august) and rehiring Oct/Nov time, so you will need to start asking for work around October,go to companies with a C.V (in Spanish of course)
Typical wages are around 1000€ for the nomina (basic retainer) and 8-10 cents per kilometer (1800€ to 2500€ in the current climate) with 2 extra payments (bonuses) being paid in summer and xmas,and 1 months holiday a year...
hope that clears up some doubts

sorry this post was a reply to another but will be useful to you


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## mrypg9

I live in Malaga Province, Costa del Sol where the jobless figure is now around 34%. There are many Spanish HGV drivers looking in vain for work.
As for 'willing to do anything'....that's what the notices stuck on every tree and lamppost say...and for €5 an hour or less.
As has been said, Spain is in deep crisis. It will take longer than five years to get out of this mess. Anyone contemplating life in Spain really needs to have a good income before boarding the plane.
Spain 2014 isn't the Spain of ten years ago, sadly.


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## el cargador

Malaga province is slightly different to the The Costa Blanca and Almeria as in it exports a lot less fruit products,and therefore the demand for drivers is less.certainly Almeria being a very large fruit and vegetable exporting area will have a large demand and turnover of drivers, not all Drivers in Spain look at a company with long term prospects in regards to work,many are on short term contracts (6 months with 6 months prorroga) and do swap around frequently between companies. i have been with my current company for 10 years, 3 years doing international and 7 as a loader/driver and i am the longest serving driver there.


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## extranjero

jojo said:


> Go to the costa del sol and take a look. Maybe go in the winter when its cold, wet and windy - it will give you an idea of how things can be. Its not all warm and relaxed, but you'll get to see a more accurate picture. Look at prices, look at what work maybe available, look at how things are and get a feel for the whole place
> 
> Jo xxx


Even though everyone should know by now the state Spain is in regarding work etc, there are still posts from people often with young children, all hopeful and expectant of a warmer, cheaper, less stressful life in Spain, finding work, only to receive posts which crush their dreams, and tell how it really is.Don't these people read papers, go on the internet, etc and do a bit of research themselves? Then they would know that Spain is only for wealthy people with clever accountants, or cunning people who know how to live under the radar. the rest of us, the squeezed middle, continue to be at the mercy of the tax man, con men, corrupt men, with little hope of a reasonable offer for our properties, so that we can escape. Now I await the" lucky to be here, live well on a pittance "brigade!


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## jojo

extranjero said:


> Even though everyone should know by now the state Spain is in regarding work etc, there are still posts from people often with young children, all hopeful and expectant of a warmer, cheaper, less stressful life in Spain, finding work, only to receive posts which crush their dreams, and tell how it really is.Don't these people read papers, go on the internet, etc and do a bit of research themselves? Then they would know that Spain is only for wealthy people with clever accountants, or cunning people who know how to live under the radar. the rest of us, the squeezed middle, continue to be at the mercy of the tax man, con men, corrupt men, with little hope of a reasonable offer for our properties, so that we can escape. Now I await the" lucky to be here, live well on a pittance "brigade!


Our forum is one of the first "ports of call" in the quest for knowledge. People in the UK, fed up with the weather, the misery, the constant work/sleep routine, crave for something better - that holiday in the sun, the carefree ideals...... So, they look for more info - they stubble upon a forum such as this one and ask!!! Sadly, we bring reality/negativity as things are now - and its better we do it at this stage, than for them to venture blindly over losing everything. However, there will always be those lucky ******s who make it - but, "knowledge is king" and at least if everyone knows what to expect before they make their trip (or not), they wont be disappointed!!


So, I'm happy for folk to come on here and ask - however impossible and if they can still make it happen, then even better!! But they need to know the risks involved and have their bubbles burst - a bubble/dream isnt reality and they need to know that!

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9

extranjero said:


> Even though everyone should know by now the state Spain is in regarding work etc, there are still posts from people often with young children, all hopeful and expectant of a warmer, cheaper, less stressful life in Spain, finding work, only to receive posts which crush their dreams, and tell how it really is.Don't these people read papers, go on the internet, etc and do a bit of research themselves? Then they would know that Spain is only for wealthy people with clever accountants, or cunning people who know how to live under the radar. the rest of us, the squeezed middle, continue to be at the mercy of the tax man, con men, corrupt men, with little hope of a reasonable offer for our properties, so that we can escape. Now I await the" lucky to be here, live well on a pittance "brigade!


No. But you will get the ' Stop'. putting happy immigrants here into categories of your making' brigade.
I' m not wealthy, I don't have a clever accountant, I'm not cunning, I don't live under the radar, and I don't live on a pittance. I have a middle income..not squeezed, not rich, not poor. 

I would say that description fits most of us here.

You are not the'squeezed middle'. You are among the unlucky ones who took a risk that didn't work out as you planned. You were no doubt delighted with your property in Spain when you bought it, even more delighted when it increased in value..but then the bubble burst as bubbles do and you blame Spain for your predicament.
As for being at the mercy of con men....do what the rest of us do..exercise due diligence. I got conned once when we first got here. Note the word 'once'. 
This crisis has brought real misery to millions of people across the world. You are lucky. You have a house, a roof over your head. You are living the 'dream'. If your income isn't sufficient to pay your bills..did you allow for currency fluctuation when you did your sums before moving?

I'm sorry you aren't enjoying life in Spain. It's sad. But you really must stop allowing your unhappiness to wrongly categorise the vast majority of immigrants who live very happily here, whether retired or in work.

As for obtaining a 'reasonable' offer for your property so you can 'escape'....if I were that unhappy, any offer would be 'reasonable'. We wanted to leave the UK as quickly as we could, once we'd decided to go. So we took the first offers we got.. We had done our sums and knew what we could live on. We didn't wait around for 'more'.
.


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