# finding job&board after walking the Camino



## thuyt (Jul 23, 2014)

I would like to know how likely it may be to find a job in Spain. I know there are other threads on this forum posing the same question, however, my situation is a bit different and I'd like to ask for some advice. Here is my situation:

On an EXTREMELY TIGHT BUDGET $$

My boyfriend and I are planning on doing the Camino de Santiago de Compostela walk come mid-September. We plan on purchasing a 1-way ticket to Spain and taking our time/not rushing through through the walk. I'd say we may be able to finish it around the end of October or early November. 

After the walk we would like to continue our stay in Spain for several more months. We were thinking about trying to find a job that would allow us to 1. have a place to live + meals 2.give us a weekly stipend, though, I don't expect much (just a little to save $$ for more travel adventures or plane ticket back home 


My boyfriend is willing to work anywhere, so long there is room&board. We thought that maybe because I'm a female I should get an au pair job. from the research that I've done, I've been coming across programs where I'd have to pay them to place me with a family ($500+ for 3 months) and this doesn't include a stipend. Should I go through a program- what are your experiences? 

Some other background info on us: we have bachelor's degree and a TESOL certification (but have no prior teaching/working experience as tefl)

Basically we want to stay longer after our walk and want to know how realistic it would be to find odd jobs/teaching jobs to support us on this adventure.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I'm not very knowledgeable on visas/permits etc, but I do know that work isnt easy to find in Spain, altho qualifications may help if they're the right ones

I'm sure someone will be along to offer you advice

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

thuyt said:


> I would like to know how likely it may be to find a job in Spain. I know there are other threads on this forum posing the same question, however, my situation is a bit different and I'd like to ask for some advice. Here is my situation:
> 
> On an EXTREMELY TIGHT BUDGET $$
> 
> ...


:welcome:

your options are limited really

firstly, if you come with a one-way ticket you'd be denied entry, unless you had a resident visa already in place

unless you come on a pre-arranged resident visa, such as might be arranged via an au pair organisation, a student visa, a work visa because you have a job - all of which have to be arranged while you're in the US - you can only stay 90 days in every 180 - & have to have a return ticket, & because that is a 'tourist visa', you aren't allowed to work 

take a look at the website of your nearest Spanish Consulate - that will have the info as to what might be available to you


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

Is either one of you an EU citizen? If you're both Americans, working legally is pretty much out of the question due to the fact that you'd need a work visa.


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## thuyt (Jul 23, 2014)

xabiachica said:


> :welcome:
> 
> your options are limited really
> 
> ...


I had no idea we'd be denied entry if we purchased a 1way ticket- I so appreciate all the info . I guess it was a good idea to start posting our questions in a forum.


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## thuyt (Jul 23, 2014)

elenetxu- We're both US Citizens. We're not opposed to getting an under the table job. I guess my biggest thing is that I don't think i'd be ready to go back home to the states after our walk (i'd like to be away for at least 6 months). I want to immerse myself in another culture but I'm on a tight budget. Thats why I was thinking that maybe, if i got a job as an au pair (included homestay) that would be a great way to do so.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

thuyt said:


> elenetxu- We're both US Citizens. *We're not opposed to getting an under the table job*. I guess my biggest thing is that I don't think i'd be ready to go back home to the states after our walk (i'd like to be away for at least 6 months). I want to immerse myself in another culture but I'm on a tight budget. Thats why I was thinking that maybe, if i got a job as an au pair (included homestay) that would be a great way to do so.


Firstly there is mass unemployment in Spain, secondly, you would risk putting any employer in serious trouble if they took you on and they would know that, thirdly you would be illegal and WHEN caught you would be in trouble. 

The only culture you would be able to immerse yourself in would be a criminal culture. Look into a work visa or a study visa - if they are available. BUT do it legally, otherwise you'll be looking over your shoulder and living a horrible insecure life the whole time

Jo xxx


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Basically, as an American, you're not allowed to work without a visa and for an employer to get a visa for you, they have to prove that no EU citizen could do the job- and as already pointed out, that has to be arranged while you're still in the US..... And you can only stay 90days out of 180.Try staying longer and you could find yourself in real trouble.

It's just the same for us you know, we can't just go to the US and start working.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

thuyt said:


> elenetxu- We're both US Citizens. We're not opposed to getting an under the table job


Well shame on you! We all came to live in Spain not off Spain....how would you cope if one of you fell ill or had an accident?

Europe isn't like the Wild West where you can come and do as you like.


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## ccm47 (Oct 15, 2013)

Like others I think the chance of finding an au pair type job is slim in the extreme but you could be away legally for 5 months or so.
Are you aware that the camino is only the end of the walk? If you google "la route de St Jacques" you will find there are 4 starting points, all of which are in France. Thus you could spend half your time in France and the rest in Spain. France is set up for this type of walker/camper so no worries about stopping points. Costs could be about the same, depends on what you want to eat.

As for "au pair" jobs there are more openly wealthy people in France some of whom might welcome an au pair but I suspect for longer than a couple of months. As with all things internet in France a good place to advertise yourselves is leboncoin.fr . You could even see if any of the universities can help, sometimes a languages teacher can take in a non-paying guest for a few days just to put some polish on their mastery of the language. 

If you have accommodation that you are vacating, but keeping on, in the US, you could try advertising on a Homes for Exchange site. We were amazed at the range and number of replies we got for our flat in Murcia.

I would also google "house sitters" and see what comes up. It's often not formal employment but does put a roof over your head for a while, or at least a camping pitch in somebody's back garden.

Hope that helps but personally I think you need to spend a while planning this i.e. getting together the funds for a return ticket, contingency money etc and plan to succeed perhaps next year. 
Best of luck.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

ccm47 said:


> *Like others I think the chance of finding an au pair type job is slim in the extreme but you could be away legally for 5 months or so.
> Are you aware that the camino is only the end of the walk? If you google "la route de St Jacques" you will find there are 4 starting points, all of which are in France. Thus you could spend half your time in France and the rest in Spain*. France is set up for this type of walker/camper so no worries about stopping points. Costs could be about the same, depends on what you want to eat.
> 
> As for "au pair" jobs there are more openly wealthy people in France some of whom might welcome an au pair but I suspect for longer than a couple of months. As with all things internet in France a good place to advertise yourselves is leboncoin.fr . You could even see if any of the universities can help, sometimes a languages teacher can take in a non-paying guest for a few days just to put some polish on their mastery of the language.
> ...


eerrmmm no - that won't work


the tourist/Schengen visa is for 90 days out of 180 in the entire Schengen zone - not in each indididual country

the UK isn't in the Schengen zone though, so 3 months in Schengen & then the UK for at least 3 months is possible, before returning to the Schengen zone for another 3


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

xabiachica said:


> eerrmmm no - that won't work
> 
> 
> the tourist/Schengen visa is for 90 days out of 180 in the entire Schengen zone - not in each indididual country
> ...



I think the most important part of this post is "tourist." Even doing the Spain-UK-Spain jump, you cannot legally work in either country without getting a visa. 

To the OP, remember that identity checks/identity checkpoints/cops stopping you to ask for you papers/racial profiling are quite common.


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## thuyt (Jul 23, 2014)

jojo said:


> Firstly there is mass unemployment in Spain, secondly, you would risk putting any employer in serious trouble if they took you on and they would know that, thirdly you would be illegal and WHEN caught you would be in trouble. [...]
> Jo xxx





brocher said:


> Basically, as an American, you're not allowed to work without a visa and for an employer to get a visa for you, they have to prove that no EU citizen could do the job- and as already pointed out, that has to be arranged while you're still in the US..... And you can only stay 90days out of 180.Try staying longer and you could find yourself in real trouble.
> [...]





mrypg9 said:


> [...]how would you cope if one of you fell ill or had an accident?


Thank you for the warnings/reminders. I admit to taking the idea of working under the table lightly at first -- sorry about that. :redface:  

We will figure something else out, with regards to hanging around after our Camino. It really depends on how much we can stretch our funds. Obviously postponing our trip and saving more money is probably the most practical idea, but for both of us back home in the US, our circumstances dictate that this will be our only shot at Europe over the next 5 years or so. So the idea of ringing in the new year there after our walk was definitely something we were hoping to make possible somehow. 

To be clear, our main goal is still the Camino. The purpose of this thread was simply to see how hard it would be, financially, to stick around for the 6+ weeks after we finish.


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## thuyt (Jul 23, 2014)

ccm47 said:


> Like others I think the chance of finding an au pair type job is slim in the extreme but you could be away legally for 5 months or so.
> Are you aware that the camino is only the end of the walk? If you google "la route de St Jacques" you will find there are 4 starting points, all of which are in France. Thus you could spend half your time in France and the rest in Spain. France is set up for this type of walker/camper so no worries about stopping points. Costs could be about the same, depends on what you want to eat.
> 
> As for "au pair" jobs there are more openly wealthy people in France some of whom might welcome an au pair but I suspect for longer than a couple of months. As with all things internet in France a good place to advertise yourselves is leboncoin.fr . You could even see if any of the universities can help, sometimes a languages teacher can take in a non-paying guest for a few days just to put some polish on their mastery of the language.
> ...


Thanks for the tips! Much appreciated 

The _au pair_ in France idea was something I hadn't yet considered. Someday~


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

ccm47 said:


> Are you aware that the camino is only the end of the walk? If you google "la route de St Jacques" you will find *there are 4 starting points*, all of which are in France. Thus you could spend half your time in France and the rest in Spain. France is set up for this type of walker/camper so no worries about stopping points. Costs could be about the same, depends on what you want to eat.


And there are many more in Spain, and probably Italy and any other country in Europe too!
There isn't just one Camino de Santiago/ Route de St Jacques/ St James Way


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

thuyt said:


> Thanks for the tips! Much appreciated
> 
> The _au pair_ in France idea was something I hadn't yet considered. Someday~


And according to xabiachica, is something you shouldn't be considering either. My advice would be to get in touch directly with US and Spanish authorities and find out what the deal really is.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Try Workaway if you just want board and lodging for a couple of weeks in exchange for a few hours work a day. No work visa needed for that.

Workaway.info the site for free work exchange. Gap year volunteer for food and accommodation whilst travelling abroad.


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## Claire la richarde (Jul 6, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Try Workaway if you just want board and lodging for a couple of weeks in exchange for a few hours work a day. No work visa needed for that.
> 
> Workaway.info the site for free work exchange. Gap year volunteer for food and accommodation whilst travelling abroad.


Unfortunately I'm fairly sure that a US citizen on a tourist visa can't do work in Spain (or the rest of the EU) arranged through Workaway and similar sites, as the board and lodging given in return for the work count as payment.

Workaway's site gives no advice on visa - it merely says
"The subject of visas, Working, Voluntary, tourist, student or otherwise is a very complex issue and a varies from country to country depending on a number of factors (Age, nationality, funds etc) Immigration laws constantly change and it is very important that you seek advise from the relative country´s embassy."

It might be best to check before paying Workaway to become a member. If working for board and lodging were illegal under your tourist visa, this would undoubtedly invalidate your trip insurance. If you became ill or were injured while working, the company would refuse to pay up if it found out.


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