# Lisa celi -moving to Spain & looking for work



## lisa celi (Feb 25, 2017)

Hi my husband & I are considering moving to Alicante or Costa Calida area of Spain, and need as much friendly and realistic advice & Info as possible. We are hoping to purchase a new home from the equity from our home in Cornwall. We unfortunately will be leaving our jobs so our main worry is finding work out there, although we will be mortgage free we will need to work to enjoy the lifestyle. We are both in our mid 40's. My husband currently drives buses for a park & ride and I work for adult social care as a support worker with my level 3 and ILM 3 in management. Please could any body help by letting us know what opportunities are there? We have been looking and are aware that wages are lower and work is scarce but I believe that if you want work enough you will find it. I am not too bothered in status just a nice pace of life and maybe going part time.

Thank You we need all the advice we can get.


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

lisa celi said:


> Hi my husband & I are considering moving to Alicante or Costa Calida area of Spain, and need as much friendly and realistic advice & Info as possible. We are hoping to purchase a new home from the equity from our home in Cornwall. We unfortunately will be leaving our jobs so our main worry is finding work out there, although we will be mortgage free we will need to work to enjoy the lifestyle. We are both in our mid 40's. My husband currently drives buses for a park & ride and I work for adult social care as a support worker with my level 3 and ILM 3 in management. Please could any body help by letting us know what opportunities are there? We have been looking and are aware that wages are lower and work is scarce but I believe that if you want work enough you will find it. I am not too bothered in status just a nice pace of life and maybe going part time.
> 
> Thank You we need all the advice we can get.


The first question is do you speak Spanish?
Have you read about residency rules i.e. Income requirements, healthcare etc. There is a minimum income to become resident and you, at your age will require private healthcare. 

I'm afraid unemployment in Spain is very high. The chances of you supporting yourselves although not impossible are equally not very likely. Whilst I might sound harsh, there are many Spaniards who want work and can't find it, no matter how much they want it.


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

lisa celi said:


> Hi my husband & I are considering moving to Alicante or Costa Calida area of Spain, and need as much friendly and realistic advice & Info as possible. We are hoping to purchase a new home from the equity from our home in Cornwall. We unfortunately will be leaving our jobs so our main worry is finding work out there, although we will be mortgage free we will need to work to enjoy the lifestyle. We are both in our mid 40's. My husband currently drives buses for a park & ride and I work for adult social care as a support worker with my level 3 and ILM 3 in management. Please could any body help by letting us know what opportunities are there? We have been looking and are aware that wages are lower and work is scarce but I believe that if you want work enough you will find it. I am not too bothered in status just a nice pace of life and maybe going part time.
> 
> Thank You we need all the advice we can get.


 Welcome to the forum. Spain does have very high unemployment, so wanting work may not be enough. Do either of you speak Spanish, that may help. You will need to get contracted work so that you can prove income and that you will be eligible for Spanish healthcare.

So I would hold back on actually buying a home until you have established what you can find. Maybe rent for a few months to get a feel for how, where and if.

Jo xxx


----------



## lisa celi (Feb 25, 2017)

Thank You x


----------



## lisa celi (Feb 25, 2017)

Thank You. No you are not sounding harsh. I would rather have honest answers and advice. We have looked into private health care which is approx 30 Euros a month. We are just re searching lots of information at the moment. We were thinking of privately renting for approx 6 months before we buy. Just feeling scared unsure of what happens with Brexit?


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

lisa celi said:


> Thank You. No you are not sounding harsh. I would rather have honest answers and advice. We have looked into private health care which is approx 30 Euros a month. We are just re searching lots of information at the moment. We were thinking of privately renting for approx 6 months before we buy. Just feeling scared unsure of what happens with Brexit?


All sounds sensible 

Brexit is the known unknown, we are all unsure what's happening with that


----------



## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Lots and lots of unemployed Spanish bus drivers looking for work and your qualifications mean nothing in Spain, stay in the UK.


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

bob_bob said:


> Lots and lots of unemployed Spanish bus drivers looking for work and your qualifications mean nothing in Spain, stay in the UK.


Yep our village alone has several men out of work for over five years, our closest friend picks up work now and again, but it's not secure or well paid


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

You have jobs and a home in the UK and imo it would be the height of folly for you to abandon these and make a move to Spain at this time.
It is very unlikely that either of you would find work in the jobs you do now. Your husband would need to speak fluent Spanish and retrain to Spanish qualification and licence level. Your qualifications would not be recognised in Spain and you would need to have a working knowledge of Spanish.
Unemployment in some areas is still over 30% even though overall unemployment nationally is just over 20%.
It's simply not true to say that you'll find work if you want it hard enough. The truth is that you'll find work if you're lucky and have those all-important 'contacts' which take time to build.
I doubt also that health insurance at 30 euros a month would be comprehensive enough to enable you to qualify for residency as well as the 600 euros a month per person paid into a Spanish bank account plus savings you need to show to get residency.
It's not impossible to find work but very difficult for a newcomer with no local knowledge. The Spanish 'lifestyle' isn't really that much different to the one you have, just more sun and blue skies and no lifestyle is enjoyable if you're counting the pennies or cents.


----------



## cermignano (Feb 9, 2017)

Most folk I know who use equity have to pay it up. Is there another way?


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

lisa celi said:


> Thank You. No you are not sounding harsh. I would rather have honest answers and advice. We have looked into private health care which is approx 30 Euros a month. We are just re searching lots of information at the moment. We were thinking of privately renting for approx 6 months before we buy. Just feeling scared unsure of what happens with Brexit?


That sounds like private health care insurance with copay terms - i.e. you have to pay something every time you use it. Unfortunately that type of policy is not acceptable for registering on the Foreigners Register. It has to be "sin copago."


----------

