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Get a visa to live and work in Spain: Take classes to study Spanish and work part-time

Find out how to work in Spain with a student visa: requirements, how many hours you can work a part-time job, salary and more…

When looking to move to Spain as a citizen of a non-EU member state, such as the UK or USA, you will need to have a visa in order to live in the country on a more permanent basis and work there.

One relatively new option is the much talked-about Digital Nomad Visa, which will allow Brits and other non-EU citizens to live in Spain for up to 5 years while working remotely for a company outside of Spain.

But one alternative way to attain a visa in Spain is by studying, which will allow you to get a job and work on the side. And you don’t just have to study a degree at a university in Spain as a young person – this type of work-study visa is also applicable for anyone of any age who signs up to study, for instance, Spanish in a language school.

Living, studying and working in Spain

Spain is full of international students who come to study at the country’s top universities, especially in Madrid and Barcelona. But it’s not just university students who get part-time jobs while studying in Spain. Anyone can work up to 30 hours per week in Spain as an international student on a student visa, if they are signed up to study a Spanish language course at an official educational centre like a language academy.

The minimum salary for an international student who studies and works part-time in Spain is 450 euros.

Find a language school that you like the look of with a good quality language course, and contact them to find out whether studying in that particular establishment will make you eligible for a study visa.

In general, non-EU international students may have to jump through more hoops and do more paperwork than EU/EEA students. As a non-EU/EEA international student in Spain, you can only work part-time until your student visa expires.

Your employer will need to apply to the Foreign Nationals Office in Spain to receive permission to hire you, giving you a work permit.

One of the benefits of learning how to speak Spanish while you work in Spain as that you are more likely to find a job in Spain if you can speak Spanish. Employers also often look for workers who have a perfect knowledge of English, so being bilingual Spanish-English can be a massive help when it comes to finding work.

How to work and study in Spain: requirements to be eligible for a work-study visa

The requirements for getting a Spanish visa to work and study at the same time are different for EU and non-EU nationals.

EU/EEA Students

Requirements to work in Spain for students from EU/EEA countries are the same as for Spaniards. Nationals of EU/EEA member countries are free to work in Spain without any restrictions.

Coming from a country that is a member of the European Union, you do not need a work permit to work in Spain, even in full-time positions. However, you must have a signed and legitimated employment contract from your new Spanish employer.

Non-EU/EEA Students

The requirements for non-EU/EEA citizens to study and work in Spain include:

Work part-time (30 hours per week)
Obtain a work permit (the employer should make the application)
Have another main means of financial support (the part-time work income should only be complementary)
Find a balance between studies and work (working must not interfere with your studies)
Only work full-time for a maximum of 3 months (not during term time when you are supposed to engage in academic activity)

Can I continue to work in Spain after I finish studying?

It is possible for international students to keep working in Spain after they finish their studies if you are approved for a “post-study work visa”. This lets you to stay in Spain for up to 1 year after finishing your studies while you look for employment to stay in Spain on a normal work visa. Then, when you get a job, your residency permit will be changed to a normal employment permit.

Requirements to apply for the post-study work visa in Spain:

Educational certificate proving that you have finished your studies
Sufficient means of financial support during your time in Spain
Health insurance covering the duration of your stay
Apply for the residence permit at least 60 days before your student visa expires at an official immigration office (Oficina de Extranjería)
Proof of payment of visa application fee

For help finding a job and sorting out a visa in Spain, contact the professionals at WorkinSpain