Work

Many British people moving to Spain still want to work. Some continue in their original profession, while others opt for a less stressful occupation.

On the whole, those of our customers who find work tell us that their Spanish colleagues are very welcoming and settling in to Spanish employment is not difficult.

Getting started

We can help put you in touch with local contacts and advise you on issues like tax. But to give you an idea, we've put together a few pointers about how the employment system works:

• As an EU national, you can legally work in Spain and many British people do
• To be sure you will have the same rights as a Spanish employee, make sure you have a contract of employment
• Your employer should pay tax and National Insurance on your behalf, as in the UK
• To work in Spain, you will need a social security number
• Make sure you're given an official work contract from your employer. If it's in Spanish and you're not fluent, have it translated before you sign it. As a Spain Solutions customer we can arrange translation services for you
• Many companies shut down from 2pm to 5pm then open again for the cooler evening hours.

Spanish labour laws

Having undergone radical changes in recent years, Spanish labour laws protect workers from exploitation and employment contracts are very strict.

If you're planning to work in Spain you'll need to register for tax and National Insurance. If you have a Barclays Current Account, we can help you make sure you have everything you need to work and get paid in Spain, including a local bank account and the relevant permits.