MAKING A START

There has traditionally been a link between an employment contract and a job for life. This situation has changed dramatically in recent years during which Spain’s labour problems have been exacerbated by the unions’ uncompromising defence of rigid employment terms. Spain has the most rigid labour market in Europe and is a major headache to employers. In spite of an agreement reached between the employers and unions in 1997 when unions reduced their entitlement to redundancy payments in return for permanent contracts, employers still hire 90% of new employees on a temporary contract.

Spanish job centres are called INEM (Instituto Nacional de Empleo). INEM operates 700 offices throughout Spain advertising both local and national positions. Vacancies in the local area are advertised on a bulletin board, together with some national positions requiring experience, training or qualifications. INEM offices provide a comprehensive career resource library including Spanish company listings, trade publications and a wide range of reference books. In addition to offering a job placement service, INEM also provides assistance to those wishing to start a business or be self-employed.

The most important requirement for anyone seeking employment or planning to set up a business is the ability to speak good Spanish. Regional languages and dialects cause problems for foreigners and Spaniards alike, but if seeking to earn money, learning the language Castellano, or a regional variation, is the only option. Lack of a second language restricts business opportunities to the English speaking community. While English may be the language of international business, dealing with Spanish people or fitting into a multi-lingual work environment requires an ability to converse in Spanish. Working in Spain for a multinational company, a UK company, or for one whose name is recognisable worldwide, can offer security. However teams of Spanish nationals run Spanish branches of multinational companies and most of the work is conducted in their language. There is a need to fit in.

WORK PERMIT

For European Union nationals

An EU national does not require a permit to enter Spain for work. Enter Spain as a tourist, register with the Spanish national employment office INEM and then you have 90 days to find employment. It is possible to obtain an extension after that date or leave Spain and re-enter for a further 90 days. Once a job is secured, an employment contract is necessary to apply for a residencia (residence card). In fact it is a tarjeta comunitaria which is a combined work permit and residencia. It also comes with a NIE (Numero de Identification de Extranjero, see page 148 for more details). Surprisingly this is provided by an employer.

For non-EU nationals

A non-EU foreigner who wishes to work in Spain must obtain a visa before moving to Spain. Work permits can be obtained from the Foreigners’ Office (Oficinas de Extranjeros) or the provincial office of the Ministry of Labour (Delegacion Provincial del Ministerio de Trabajo), if the foreign applicant is on Spanish territory. The Provincial labour offices (Direciones Provinciales de Trabajo, Seguridad Social y Asuntos Sociales) decide whether a work permit will be issued. If the foreign applicant is not in Spain the work permit is obtained from the Consular office of the applicant’s home country at the same time as obtaining a visa.

WHICH JOB?

Casual and seasonal work

This type of work is ideal for anyone who has not yet firmed up a long-term life plan, or who seeks a few euros while enjoying life in the sun. It is not too easy to come by, involves asking around and may need personal recommendation. Casual work is more likely to be found in tourist regions where there is a seasonal demand for labour. It is likely to be paid in cash by an employer not wishing to incur any social security costs. When business demand is low there is no work, but the employer will be happy to welcome the employee back when tourists return.

It can be easy to get carried away by the seemingly casual lifestyle, a laid-back approach and amicable sales methods in tourist areas, but remember it is profit and customer service that count. Don’t assume that working for an English-speaking northern European gives added security. Spain is full of ex-pats who for one reason or another have decided to make a living running a bar or shop where business is often fragile or seasonal.

Examples of casual or seasonal work are:

• Villa servicing and cleaning.
• Promotional work.
• Nursing and auxiliary nursing in hospitals, clinics and nursing homes.
• Bar, restaurant and hotel work.
• Holiday rep with a major tourist company. This is one of the best sources of seasonal work for foreigners. Competition for jobs is fierce and some Spanish fluency is usually necessary. Most companies have an age requirement.

Part-time and full-time work

For someone staying long term, some help may be found from the few, relatively new, employment agencies, but asking around is also essential. Without a command of the language, employment is again restricted to holiday regions. Procedures for finding a job are exactly the same as back home. Starting points include newspaper adverts, employment agencies, direct contact with companies, word of mouth and personal contact. A good CV in English and Spanish to sell your skills is helpful. Working full- or part-time involves a different working day, correct business etiquette, payment of social security and income tax. Examples are;

• Office work.
• English type supermarkets.
• Journalism and advertising with local English newspapers and magazines.
• Teaching English.
• Working in an estate agent’s office.
• People who are fluent in Spanish and English can find work in the major cities as translators where the task involves business correspondence or assisting northern Europeans with some Spanish paperwork, or even at police stations on busy market days where petty theft is common and an interpreter necessary.

British entertainers often joke about a lack of motivation and an authoritarian style while working for Spanish employers. Other people question the less than democratic skills and employment practices of Spanish companies. ‘Unquestionably sharp’ is a phrase often used to describe abuse of employment contracts in a situation where an unsuspecting foreigner does not fully understand employment law.

Professional qualifications

Professionals whose training consisted of at least three years’ degree level education plus job-based training, require their qualifications to be recognised, subject to any professional codes and limitations in force. For example a doctor must have his qualifications accepted by the medical college of the province where he intends to practise. He must also show that he is in good standing with the professional authorities in his country of origin.

All EU member states issue occupation information sheets containing a common job description with a table of qualifications. These cover a large number of trades and are intended to help someone with the relevant qualifications looking for employment in another EU country. A starting point for information regarding the official validation of qualifications and addresses of Spanish professional bodies is obtainable from the education department of Spanish consulates.

Teaching

Staying long term in Spain? Then the chances of finding teaching work are considerably better than any other profession, although this obviously depends on qualifications and experience. Teaching English is big business. Spanish nationals wish to have a second language. For commercial reasons it has to be English. There is a constant demand for teachers. People with Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) qualification or English as a Second Language (ESL) certificate can find a job quite easily. Where demand outstrips supply in the big cities, a graduate native English speaker can get a job without other qualifications. Some of the opportunities are:

• Private language schools in Spain offer English classes for both adults and children.
• English teachers and teachers employed in language schools supplement their income by giving private lessons.
• The British Council in Madrid recruits English language teachers and supervisory staff for two-year placements in its language centres in Barcelona, Bilbao, Granada, Las Palmas, Madrid, Oviedo, Palma de Mallorca, Segovia, Seville and Valencia.
• Being a Language Assistant enables students from Britain and more than 30 other countries to spend a year working in a school or college in Spain, assisting language teachers.