Working for a Foreign Company in Spain

For many people, Spain seems to be a paradise where it is always sunny. But the truth is that every country has its advantages and disadvantages.

Spain is a beautiful place to live and work, but it is not for everyone. We all have different personalities and we just need to find the perfect place for us.

In this article we will talk about everything that has to do with working in Spain. For example, minimum wage, vacations, everything about the workforce, advantages and disadvantages of working in Spain, etc.

The Working Hours

In Spain, working hours for full-time jobs are shorter than in the rest of Europe. In the UK, the normal working week is 40 hours. In the last six years, people in Spain have worked on average between 36.4 and 36.9 hours per week, according to Statista. There are many people who work less, but this is the general expected number of hours you would work.

Spaniards generally tend to take a lunch break of one to two hours. They also tend to go home and eat with their families, others stay at the office, but they always have a few different restaurant options. They actually eat a fairly large meal with two or three courses.

Types of Work Contracts

In Spain, there is only contract work. Your contract can be for a year or a few months, for example, or it can be seasonal. It depends on the type of work you do. When your contract expires, it may or may not be renewed. Usually it will be extended, but if you have behaved like a bad employee, probably not.

The employment contract can be for a fixed or indefinite period. In Spain, there are four types of employment contracts: permanent, fixed-term, apprenticeship and internship contracts. Each type has its own particularities and characteristics.

Unemployment Benefit

According to Trading Economics, the unemployment rate in Spain fell to 13.33 percent in 2021.

If you want to receive unemployment benefits in Spain, you must have paid into social security for one year (at least 360 days). Depending on how long you have worked for a particular company in Spain, the maximum duration of unemployment benefit is two years.

This means that you will receive money for up to two years if you have worked for a company for around two years. If you have only worked for four or five months, you will receive much less.

Annual Leave in Spain

In general, people in Spain have one month's vacation. In other words, employees in Spain are entitled to 30 calendar days of paid annual leave. The right to annual leave exists after 1 month of work. It is usually taken in August. Incidentally, August is not usually the best time to find or look for work because Spain literally comes to a standstill.

In addition, Spain celebrates a lot of national and additional regional holidays (in the Canary Islands even more.)

Minimum Wage

Country Economy reported that the national minimum wage in Spain is 1,166 EURO a month in 2022.

Salary

How much do you expect from working in Spain? That depends entirely on the type of work you do, of course. The average salary in Spain is 2,710 EURO per month. Since the approximate monthly expenses are 900 euros per month, you can live comfortably even on the minimum wage (not in Madrid or Barcelona).

Finding a Job in Spain

At the moment it is a bit difficult to find work in Spain. Many years ago, there was a financial crisis in Spain from which the country never fully recovered. It got worse with the coronavirus. In 2020, economic activity was 9% below the pre-crisis level.

Despite this, 3.3 million expats currently work in Spain. From 2021, they will make up 20.83% of the labour market.

In general, it is easier to integrate into the Spanish labour market if you speak Spanish, but knowledge of English is also generally an advantage.

The Pros of Living and Working in Spain

1. Obviously, the weather

It is literally sunny 95 percent of the year. Rain tends to be the exception in Spain. But there are parts of Spain that are hotter than others, so if you don’t like extreme heat, the southern parts of Spain might not be the best place for you.

2. The people

The Spanish have a relaxed mentality. They are very friendly and there’s a really big social scene, so there’s never a shortage of people to go out with and things to see.

The Spanish really enjoy their lives, they have fiestas all the time. Especially in the summer, there's something going on every week in one town or another. There is always something to do, some events, activities, outdoors.

3. Price

Spain is a fairly cheap country compared to some other European countries. But everything is relative, and there are cheaper countries in Europe than Spain. But if you compare Spain with countries like Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, all these northern and central European countries, Spain is cheaper, especially food and transportation. Rents can be cheap in some parts of Spain (not in Barcelona and not in Madrid).

4. Many beautiful places

There are really a lot of beautiful places and unique towns to visit on weekends.

The Cons of Living and Working in Spain

1. Employment procedures and immigration process. It can take a little more time to get your head around, but it's not complicated at all.

If you have any questions about the employment process, relocation or working legally in Spain, contact Swapp Agency. We help expats everywhere with legal, visa and employment issues.

Wrapping Up

The coronavirus crisis has hit Spain’s economy hard. Nevertheless, it is a pleasure to live and work in Spain. With an employer of record like Swapp Agency, it’s also quick and easy to get everything right and work for a reputable employer in Spain.