5 things to know when applying for a Work Permit in Spain

Congratulations! You’ve closed your most recent hire, and you’ve set their start date but what about the visa process? This can be a daunting and somewhat confusing process, especially if you have recently started hiring in Spain.

To help make this process slightly more manageable, we invited Elena Rodríguez, Independent Lawyer specialised in Spanish work permits to host a meet up in the Circular Community and share her tips.

Elena explained the the different types of visa available, the process of applying and the necessary documents, problems that can arise, the process of renewals and answered questions from our community members. For those of you who weren’t able to join, Head to the Circular Community for the full recording.

Here’s what you should know…

1. What permits are available and who is eligible to apply?

The two types of permits most used are Highly Qualified professionals Authorisation and Residence Practice Permit. You can apply for each depending on the individual who is applying and the company status.

a) Highly Qualified professionals Authorisation

Here are some of the ways that makes someone eligible to apply for this type of work permit.

• Staff + 250 jobs in the last 3 months
• SMEs strategic sector certificate of the General Directorate of Commerce
• Graduates from universities or business schools

From the document submission to the resolution, usually takes up to 20 business days.The residency is granted for 2 years or contract time.

b) Residence Practise Permit

Available to foreigners who have obtained or are studying to obtain a higher education degree and who obtain an Agreement or Contract in Internship in a Spanish company.

The request needs to be submitted by the company electronically before the Government Sub-delegation of the province where the activity is to be carried out, the Administration must resolve within 30 days after which it will be understood to be granted by administrative silence.

2. Know what documents you need and ensure to make time to legalise them

When applying for the a work permit, you are required to provide multiple documents from the company and from the candidate. The process is entirely done online. Some documents will need to be legalised in the country where it was issued and if necessary, translated prior to submitting them. This process can sometimes take a while so ensure to take this into account. During the event, Elena details all of the different documents needed for each process.

3. Your residency permit is linked to the company, not the employee.

This means, if you change jobs, you will need to reapply for the work permit.

4. Renewals

Depending on the type of permit, it can be granted from 6 months to up to 2 years or the contract time. Once you have been granted the work permit, you are able to apply for the renewal or up to 2 months before the expiry.

5. Getting legal advice and help is more accessible than you think!

Elena and her team are on hand to help guide you through this process. Depending on the type of application and the circumstances, fees range from €600 – €900 per application.

Elena Rodríguez
elenarodriguez@icab.cat
607·469·88
293·459·46·56

We really enjoyed hosting this Meetup and this is the first of more to come. The idea to host this Meetup came from our Community members who wanted more information about this topic to help them in their role. If you have an idea for a Meetup or would like to learn about a topic from a professional in the field, we’d love to hear from you. Contact lauren@circular.io to discuss.

If you are not a member of our community yet, join us!