# Moving to Spain from the UK (WORKAWAY)



## EspañolBruno (9 mo ago)

Hi I am planning on moving to Spain from the UK next year but I am aware there is a rule that I can only stay 90 days in a 180 day period.

I have a few questions and any person who can help I would be really grateful

If you get a job can you then stay there longer? 

To get a work permit visa do you already have to have a job offer?

If you lose that job do you then have to immediately get out of Spain?

Using the workaway site where you stay with a host family for a certain amount of time, is that possible for more than 3 months?would I need work visa? Would theygive me a work visa?


----------



## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

To get a work visa you will need a definite job offer. You need to then apply for visa in UK so you cant come to Spain and look for a job and get visa in Spain. If you lose job you must return. Unfortunately unless you are working in a fairly well paid job its unlikely you would get a visa as the employer can only employ you if they fail to find someone in Spain to do the job. Spain has high unemployment and everyone effectively needs work as benefits are limited , unlike in UK. If you are a EU passport holder then these conditions dont apply and are less stringent


----------



## EspañolBruno (9 mo ago)

kaipa said:


> To get a work visa you will need a definite job offer. You need to then apply for visa in UK so you cant come to Spain and look for a job and get visa in Spain. If you lose job you must return. Unfortunately unless you are working in a fairly well paid job its unlikely you would get a visa as the employer can only employ you if they fail to find someone in Spain to do the job. Spain has high unemployment and everyone effectively needs work as benefits are limited , unlike in UK. If you are a EU passport holder then these conditions dont apply and are less stringent


Okay thank you, do you know about this workaway thing ?


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

EspañolBruno said:


> Okay thank you, do you know about this workaway thing ?


All I know is it's a volunteering scheme using Schengen's 90-in-180 days provision. So you cannot stay longer than 90 days without a visa as British citizen.


----------



## EspañolBruno (9 mo ago)

Joppa said:


> All I know is it's a volunteering scheme using Schengen's 90-in-180 days provision. So you cannot stay longer than 90 days without a visa as British citiz





Joppa said:


> All I know is it's a volunteering scheme using Schengen's 90-in-180 days provision. So you cannot stay longer than 90 days without a visa as British citizen.


What visa do I need to stay longer mate? Is it a temp residency visa for a year? Which means I can stay but can’t work? Also if I do that for a year does that count towards my 5 years as I resident and when I’ve done 5 years could I then apply for perminent residency in Spain? Or do I need to be working for it to count.. sorry for all the questions hard to get my head around the way they word it all online cheers


----------



## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

EspañolBruno said:


> What visa do I need to stay longer mate? Is it a temp residency visa for a year? Which means I can stay but can’t work? Also if I do that for a year does that count towards my 5 years as I resident and when I’ve done 5 years could I then apply for perminent residency in Spain? Or do I need to be working for it to count.. sorry for all the questions hard to get my head around the way they word it all online cheers


Nope the system works exactly the same as the new UK one does. 
You will be employed from date a to date b which will be 90 days maximum including travel. 
You then have to leave the country and will not be allowed back for another 90days. 
You can then do it all over again.

Oh and you cannot do 90 days in Spain and then apply for a 90 day stay in France either (its 90 days out of 180 in any Schengen Country) You could go to Ireland though..

There is NO temp visa in Spain and for all of the visa's to allow you to come here and work, live etc have to be applied for in the UK.

Look here as its all explained.





PORTAL DE INMIGRACIÓN. Ciudadanos de otros Estados


PORTAL DE INMIGRACIÓN - Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones: Ciudadanos de otros Estados




extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es





This explains the visa. But is not a government site








Spain Work Visa: Requirements and How to apply | Spain Visa Types


Do you need a Work Visa to start a job in Spain? Read more about different types of work visas and how to obtain one.




www.spainvisa.eu




.

Basically as a Brit with a Uk passport you will be unable to come here and work without a visa (applied for by the company you will be working for) but what job can you do and are qualified for that NO OTHER EU citizen could do?

If you can find a company willing to sponsor you then Yes once you are here and legally resident all the time you spend here goes towards permanent residency (but it probably doesn't mean what some think) you don't get a Spanish passport, you still cannot move to another EU country without resetting the clock and starting again. 
You also have to remain here in Spain for the majority of the five years, so you can't do a year, go back to the Uk for a year and then come back. 
All of the available visa's have to be renewed at various points until you get to the five year mark. 

Also do you drive? Its just been announced that no agreement has been possible (yet) to swap licences, so you have to factor in a test if you want to stay long term
If on a workaday scheme your Uk licence is fine.


----------



## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

Barriej...very well explained 👏 

Steve


----------



## EspañolBruno (9 mo ago)

Barriej said:


> Nope the system works exactly the same as the new UK one does.
> You will be employed from date a to date b which will be 90 days maximum including travel.
> You then have to leave the country and will not be allowed back for another 90days.
> You can then do it all over again.
> ...


thank you for all your responses mate appreciate it means a lot, but I don’t think I understand one thing, is there not something I can apply for where I can stay longer than 3 months if I am not working, and I am just volunteering using workaway


----------



## EspañolBruno (9 mo ago)

EspañolBruno said:


> thank you for all your responses mate appreciate it means a lot, but I don’t think I understand one thing, is there not something I can apply for where I can stay longer than 3 months if I am not working, and I am just volunteering using workaway





Barriej said:


> Nope the system works exactly the same as the new UK one does.
> You will be employed from date a to date b which will be 90 days maximum including travel.
> You then have to leave the country and will not be allowed back for another 90days.
> You can then do it all over again.
> ...


I have £20k to support myself financially so would be happy to volunteer and not work so was just wondering if I can do that ?


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

EspañolBruno said:


> I have £20k to support myself financially so would be happy to volunteer and not work so was just wondering if I can do that ?


£20k isn't enough to secure you a visa.



Non-working residence visa



4xIPREM is the finacial requirement for a year. IPREM currently stands at *6.948,24€, so 27.792.96€, which at today's exchange rate is £23.365.50*


----------



## EspañolBruno (9 mo ago)

xabiaxica said:


> £20k isn't enough to secure you a visa.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Okay that sounds promising so am I right In saying if I have £23,365.50 I can apply to stay there for a year?


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

EspañolBruno said:


> Okay that sounds promising so am I right In saying if I have £23,365.50 I can apply to stay there for a year?


Yes, at today's exchange rate, plus private health insurance, you can apply for a visa.


----------



## EspañolBruno (9 mo ago)

xabiaxica said:


> Yes, at today's exchange rate, plus private health insurance, you can apply for a visa.


You’ve made my day mate! Time to get the overtime in haha


----------



## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

EspañolBruno said:


> Okay that sounds promising so am I right In saying if I have £23,365.50 I can apply to stay there for a year?


Yep with full private healthcare plan, its the NLV so not able to work.

The TIE you will get if successful will state you can live in Spain (Mine says live and work, cause we got here a couple of years ago) and it will also say Temporary.

At the end of the first year to renew you will then need to show 2x the amount or leave. 
if you leave, you will then have to start again and the year wont count towards the permanent residency either (you may want to ask this at the interview for the visa)
So even if you did the workaday thing you would still need to return to the Uk and apply for the visa (can't be done from Spain) and the 90days workaday will not count towards any residency.

Here is some info on the NLV


https://balcellsgroup.com/non-lucrative-residency/


----------



## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

Be careful about your "host" using these volunteer schemes. It can be a very slave - owner type situation.

Also, be careful of "looking after the children" situations.. In some countries this is a highly regulated situation. Make sure you have insurance covering "personal responsibility" if something was to happen (god forbid) to the children under your care. Could be a very costly babysitting experience for you.

Good luck...


----------



## EspañolBruno (9 mo ago)

Barriej said:


> Yep with full private healthcare plan, its the NLV so not able to work.
> 
> The TIE you will get if successful will state you can live in Spain (Mine says live and work, cause we got here a couple of years ago) and it will also say Temporary.
> 
> ...


ahhhh that’s so **** man, is there no way after the first year of residency ending you can’t apply for another year with just the 400% instead of 800% for 2 years? It’s all so complicated man why can’t this just be simple🫠


----------



## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

I would not tell the interviewer in the visa process about the volunteer plans... Might seem like a way to "work"..


----------



## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

xabiaxica said:


> Yes, at today's exchange rate, plus private health insurance, you can apply for a visa.


And if you are successful with getting a visa you are required to apply for residency within the first month. Otherwise Your visa will become void.

Steve


----------



## EspañolBruno (9 mo ago)

tardigrade said:


> I would not tell the interviewer in the visa process about the volunteer plans... Might seem like a way to "work"..


okay thank you


----------



## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Yes the problem is that the visa you get by showing you have money will not allow you to work and as pointed out you basically need to keep showing the money to maintain the visa. So if you hoping to live in Spain and work this is not a solution- most people who use these visas are retired or nearly retired and have no need or desire to work. 

The truth of the matter is that most of persons getting visas will be professionals where employers are effectively already looking for individuals outside of Spain. For example, I noticed in a bilingual school I was visiting that they were looking for a Chemistry teacher for A-levels and it specifically mentioned how they would assist in the visa process and relocation costs etc. Those are the job areas and the type of employers that are working with visas. Doing non-professional low-skilled casual work will not end up getting a visa as these jobs will be filled quickly by people already in Spain.

Your only options are - seeing if you qualify for an EU passport through family etc. Or possibly , but only in a truly hypothetical sense, marrying someone who is Spanish or an EU national and moving as a couple to Spain.


----------



## *Sunshine* (Mar 13, 2016)

EspañolBruno said:


> It’s all so complicated man why can’t this just be simple🫠


Because your country wanted to keep foreigners out and opted for Brexit. The Spanish requirements for third country nationals are actually not even as high as the British ones.

If you want the benefits of EU citizenship, move to Ireland to work for long enough to qualify for Irish citizenship.


----------



## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

The other thing to consider, is that now the Uk is a 3rd country (joining some 140 plus others, so its not a very exclusive club).
Depending on your age its just as easy to go somewhere further afield that might be better.

Australia has the travel/work visa for anyone under 30. Its cheap to apply and it allows you to work and travel around the country. If you then spend the last 80 days working for one of the approved employers (farms, offices, you can also do paid voluntary work). You then automatically get a second year (at a cost for the visa).

My daughter did this in 2015 and worked in Sydney for a call centre (Australians wont do this) with Chinese and other EU people and was paid AU$50.00 an hour, the work was flexible, so she worked then travelled, worked etc....
For the last three months she worked on a farm up near Brisbane. 
She came back to the UK for three weeks in 2016 and then went back (she has been there ever since). 
Passed her Australian drivers test (which if she ever goes back to the Uk she can exchange).
And now after doing some college work is running the day to day finances of a farm with around 750,000 hectares of land.

There are other schemes in lots of other countries that do not require you to have loads of money in the bank.

To be honest, when I was young there were shed loads of Aussies and Kiwi's in London, once the freedom of movement act came in their numbers were limited by the EU. 
The world is a big place, why just go to places on your doorstep if young and free??
My 2c and I wish I was 30 years younger. Id be off round the world in a flash..


----------



## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

*Sunshine* said:


> Because your country wanted to keep foreigners out and opted for Brexit. *The Spanish requirements for third country nationals are actually not even as high as the British ones.*
> 
> If you want the benefits of EU citizenship, move to Ireland to work for long enough to qualify for Irish citizenship.


Well actually I think they wanted to keep hordes of low paid EU foreigners out, who were availing themselves of all the wonderful benefits living in the Uk used to bring..

(oh that was sarcasm just in case)

Indians, Africans, Aussies, Kiwi's etc were all welcome before the freedom of movement act was brought in 99% of them were hard working and spoke very good English. And I had the pleasure of working with many of them (yes with, not as a better).
After that the Uk could only get cheap eastern europeans...

And thanks to the UK government of the day, it decided not to enact any of the safe guards to stop huge numbers of people who would work for a pittance from coming (actually its been stated that the whole idea was to drive wages down. (Something that would have my life long Labour supporting Grandfather spinning in his urn)

And your comment that Ive put in bold. GOOD. 
A country should be able to encourage the best and brightest. Not every idiot and his friend just because they can come.
The freedom of movement act was just a race to the bottom and the Uk put itself in that very position. 

At school in the early 1970's we were told that joining Europe and the Common market would mean British workers (and the rest) would all be able to attain the the wonderful life and living of the wealthiest country. 
We could work in France, Germany, Spain etc and be paid the same amounts, a loaf of bread would be the same and everything would be rosy in the garden. 

yep that happened didn't it??


----------



## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Barriej said:


> The other thing to consider, is that now the Uk is a 3rd country (joining some 140 plus others, so its not a very exclusive club).
> Depending on your age its just as easy to go somewhere further afield that might be better.
> 
> Australia has the travel/work visa for anyone under 30. Its cheap to apply and it allows you to work and travel around the country. If you then spend the last 80 days working for one of the approved employers (farms, offices, you can also do paid voluntary work). You then automatically get a second year (at a cost for the visa).
> ...



Yes I totally agree. Australia is obviously a much better option for young people wishing to escape UK now we are a 3rd country. There is work, the language, the weather etc. Spain is only , on the whole, good for pensioners. Even if you find work here it is extremely hard to live in a way that would allow you to settle here, start a family etc. Plus you have to spend many years learning the language before you have any real access to the workforce. If I was the OP I would concentrate on skilling myself in the UK - where there are plenty of training and educational opportunities- and then maybe later in life look at Spain as a place you can visit more often or retire to when you have a large savings-pot


----------



## EspañolBruno (9 mo ago)

tardigrade said:


> Be careful about your "host" using these volunteer schemes. It can be a very slave - owner type situation.
> 
> Also, be careful of "looking after the children" situations.. In some countries this is a highly regulated situation. Make sure you have insurance covering "personal responsibility" if something was to happen (god forbid) to the children under your care. Could be a very costly babysitting experience for you.
> 
> Good luck...





Barriej said:


> The other thing to consider, is that now the Uk is a 3rd country (joining some 140 plus others, so its not a very exclusive club).
> Depending on your age its just as easy to go somewhere further afield that might be better.
> 
> Australia has the travel/work visa for anyone under 30. Its cheap to apply and it allows you to work and travel around the country. If you then spend the last 80 days working for one of the approved employers (farms, offices, you can also do paid voluntary work). You then automatically get a second year (at a cost for the visa).
> ...


Interesting, I just randomly decided I’m not happy with my current life and said to a few people “F it I’m gonna move to Spain” then I started learning Spanish 2 months ago and have just been set on it ever since, but your right I’m only 22 and should defo go and see the world


----------



## *Sunshine* (Mar 13, 2016)

You're young and you have savings. If I were you I'd apply for Work & Holiday Visa for Australia. 

Australia is even offering special low cost subsidised airfares for British and Irish workers.


----------



## manuka (May 26, 2014)

sorry wrong topic


----------



## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

The other way to see it is that by moving at a young age you are giving yourself time to learn the language and adapt to the job market. People who move later in life rarely seem to become fluent or fully integrated.

I moved at 30, had a relatively decent job within a couple of years, my kids were born here, we are fully integrated. I think I just moved in time to have made it work.

I think there are three basic realistic ways to make a life in Spain as an "expat" (immigrant) from UK:

1) Move young, before you have an established career in the UK, adapt and integrate (before 30) and accept that you will never have as much disposable income as you would in the UK.
2) Move old, after you have retired in the UK and have a decent income to live on and accept that integration will be more difficult.
3) Move between those two extremes as a true expat with a company who will do all the tax returns, visas, work permits etc. and accepty that it probably won't be for ever.


----------



## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Overandout said:


> The other way to see it is that by moving at a young age you are giving yourself time to learn the language and adapt to the job market. People who move later in life rarely seem to become fluent or fully integrated.
> 
> I moved at 30, had a relatively decent job within a couple of years, my kids were born here, we are fully integrated. I think I just moved in time to have made it work.
> 
> ...



I think all that is true although whilst moving when you were young was much easier when we were still in EU. Nowadays that is pretty much impossible unless you have acquired a good degree and can find an employer who wants you enough that are willing to go through the work to help you obtain a visa. I cam when I was in my late thirties and it was easy to find work and Spain was so cheap. I had a Spanish mother in law so learned Spanish quickly and was also still young enough to be going out to bars and clubs where you got to use and learn Spanish.


----------



## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

kaipa said:


> I think all that is true although whilst moving when you were young was much easier when we were still in EU. Nowadays that is pretty much impossible unless you have acquired a good degree and can find an employer who wants you enough that are willing to go through the work to help you obtain a visa. I cam when I was in my late thirties and it was easy to find work and Spain was so cheap. I had a Spanish mother in law so learned Spanish quickly and was also still young enough to be going out to bars and clubs where you got to use and learn Spanish.


Very true, but jobs that require English speakers and have good pay will be advertised in Ireland now, so very few british people will be even considered. And add to the fact that English is taught in almost every Spanish school at some point there may be no need to employ from outside (all the crap badly paid jobs will be done by other less well off EU citizens)

With the visa requirements now needed, the rest of the world (not just the English speaking parts) are now just the same accessibility wise.
And its easier to travel and work on a temporary basis in a lot of non EU countries and earn decent money while doing it.

I know very few Brits who, even while the Uk was till in the EU, put EU countries at the top of their lists of places to travel to and visit, let alone want to move too. Spain for most is just a two week holiday, thats all.
Most of my friends, work colleagues and family couldn't understand why we wanted to move here (one of them comes here 3 or 4 times a year but reckons he could not and will never live here)

Most of the ones around my daughters age (she is 30 now) when 17 were all looking at Aus, NZ the States and Canada.
Visiting the EU could be done in 3 or 4 months with a railcard (ok you had to lie and get a student card) not one of her friends (male or female) considered living here for any length of time, because lets face it, Berlin, Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam, Prague etc are just like London. Full of foreigners and tourists most of the year.
The only good thing travel and work wise about the EU for Uk citizens, was the fact you could get home within a couple of hours if you needed to.

Spain now, really is only any good for retiree's (as long as they are Ok with not driving) and I can see places like ours, little villages with no public transport and Brits buying villas with land out in the campo dropping in value and towns where public transport is good becoming dearer to buy in and more attractive (although also more crowded of course).
Wages here are low for young people (but they always were) and that gives you no ability to save and move around.

For example, I worked for a major food company a few years ago in the UK who employed 95% Eastern European labour (mainly young people)
Not one had been able to see anything of the Uk because they were so badly paid and got no time off.
Not much of a life is it, but they were financially better off and able to send some money home.


----------



## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

One way round the licence problem is to move to a place where you dont need to drive. Where I live I have literally everything I need within a few minutes of walking ( including a supermarket under my building). I dont have a car or need one. I use a bike if I wish to go further. I haven't driven a car for over 5 years now!!! It saves a fortune and given the problems of parking , a lot of stress. Plus its probably how many people will choose to live in the next few years as energy becomes and more expensive. Living in a secluded villa is soon going to be expensive and impractical. The centre of torrevieja is having lots of renovation work done on old buildings and I have heard that young Scandanavians are buying cheap flats and having them totally upgraded as a form of investment. Certainly Air BnB is going through the roof with lots of very modern apartments being advertised by Scandanavian sounding names.


----------



## tardigrade (May 23, 2021)

The same here in Valencia city... All with-in a block walk... Bicycle for further trips or bus, metro.

In France you do not need a license, just insurance (€100 per year) and helmet for a 50cc scooter. Not very practical when it rains (for me) but cheaper to run than a car and a little more freedom than public transpo.


----------

