Despite it being the 4th largest economy in Europe, finding jobs in Spain can prove very difficult, especially if you don’t speak Spanish. Thankfully on JobCoconut.com we have a wide variety of jobs in Spain and the majority of them actually don’t require any Spanish at all. Some basic Spanish would, of course, be a great help for general life.

Interesting fact: Spain is one of the world’s leading countries in renewable energy, and is Europe’s main producer of wind energy. In 2010 it became the world leader in solar power.

 

Getting Started

So let’s see, you have a job or you’re looking into it? You’re excited, but the worries of setting everything up along the lines of:

• NIE number (Numero Identidad Extranjero)

What’s an NIE number we hear you ask?, well it is basically an identification number for foreigners, it is your all-purpose identification and tax number and you need it for everything, whether you want to work, live or own property in Spain you need this number.

• Bank accounts
• Driver’s License
• Property
• Tax & Insurance

 

It’s a little daunting yes???

Not at all we have plenty of jobs in Spain and we have found you a quick, easy and reasonably affordable way to sort the rest, and they are called ‘Gestors’ or ‘Gestoría’ who are a  general purpose consultant  and can make your life in Spain much easier.  They act as an intermediary between you and various official bodies filling out legal paperwork. There’s nothing stopping you from filling out the same paperwork yourself but if you’re finding it difficult then a Gestor’s services could come in pretty handy.  They know the ins and outs of the system and get the job done quicker. Have no fear every Spanish town has one or more gestors.

 

Employment & Benefits

Thanks to a strong tourist season this year, Spain’s unemployment rate fell from 27.6% to 26.3% making it the second highest within the Eurozone countries, and as of January 2013 the minimum hourly rate of pay is €5.57, and minimum wage per month being €600, this is lower than other Eurozone countries but the cost of living in Spain is not as high, so it evens out. As a general rule the retirement age is set at 65 years.

Working time regulations state….

1. That employee’s must not work (on an annual average) more than 40 hours a week.
2. Not work more than 9 hours a day.
3. Be given at least 12 hours rest before starting the next day's work.

*Note: Of course there are exceptions for certain industries.

 

Holiday’s & Time Off

1. You’re entitled to 21 days of holidays for every year you’re in the job.
2. Companies are not required to pay for sick-leave but sick employees can obtain a signed “baja” from a doctor confirming that they cannot work. This baja can be used to obtain payment through social security during extended periods of sickness.
3. You’re entitled to 15 days off for a wedding.
4. Compassionate leave (for the death of a family member) is 2 days.
5. Lastly you’re entitled to 1 day off if you’re moving home.

 

Maternity/Paternity Leave

Women are allowed to take a maximum of 16 weeks maternity leave that must be taken directly after the birth. They are also entitled to extra time off for the likes of attending antenatal clinic appointments.

They are entitled to social security benefits during maternity leave, provided that they qualify for a period of paid employment, these would differ depending on your age.

                                                                                                                           

1. Under 21’s: no qualifying period applies.
2. Between 21 and 26 years old: Qualifying period of 90 days' paid employment within the previous seven years. They will also receive benefits if you have 180 days’ paid employment during their lifetime.
3. Over 26 years old: a qualifying period of 180 days' paid employment within the previous seven years. They will also receive benefits if they have 360 days’ paid employment during their lifetime.

The monthly benefit is equal to 100% of the mother's average monthly salary.

 

Men are entitled to take up to 2 working days paid leave after the birth, and are able to take an additional 13 days’.

Men are also granted social security benefits on paternity leave provided that they have had 180 days’ paid employment in the last 7 years.

The monthly benefit is equal to 100% of the father's average monthly salary.

 *Note: The parents of the new born child do not have to married for the above rights to apply.

 

 Public Transport

Spain has a first-rate public transport system with buses, underground and over ground rails. It is well established and reliable, which makes travelling to your dream job convenient and a breeze.

 

Taking the bus:

There are a number of different bus services running the national routes. The majority of them will run between 6:00 am – 23:00pm, and the waiting time for buses can range between 5 and 15 minutes. Any and all information on them can be found in the main bus stations that are located in town centres.

 

Going by train:

 

RENFE (Red de los Ferrocarriles Españoles) is the national Spanish train service which also runs a regional train service known as Media Distancia.

There are some great deals to be had:

• On RENFE children under 6 get to travel free.
• Children under 12 get a 50% discount on their tickets.
• Group and family discounts are available
• Pensioners and those with a 65% or disability get a 40% discount on all tickets and so do those travelling with them.

Only the larger cities would have the tube (Metro), it is the quickest form of transport to get you through the cities. Each one having its own running hours, information can be found in the ticket machine (which can be translated into English). Make sure to read carefully as there are several types of ticket you can purchase.

 

Sites to See:

It’s not all Work Work Work, here at Job Coconut we want you to enjoy all aspects of your new life or soon to be new life, so here are some great places to visit and enjoy.

 

Valencia: 

As the 3rd largest city in Spain it is well known for 'The Falls', which is a celebration held in commemoration of Saint Joseph held in March. This event filled celebration is held for 5 days and nights were the streets are packed and people from all ages are seen participating in the fun. The events of each day are on strict schedules so as to fit everything in. Not only is Valencia full of entertainment but also show stopping views.

 

Madrid:

The Capital of Spain and its largest city, Madrid is jam packed with exciting things to do and see.

If you are an art lover, there are plenty museums to choose from the Prado Museum which is full of European Art to the Reina Sofía Museum, which is more localised and dedicated to Spanish art.

If art isn’t your forte, then there is always the most famous landmark in Madrid, the Magic Fountains, over the year there are music and light performances that are breath-taking.

 

Barcelona:

According to National Geographic, Barcelona is the number 1 beach city in the world, all of which are only 10 minutes from the city centre. It would be difficult to leave here to go to your new job, with crisp clear water and golden sand, it would be hard not to just retire right there. There are many little huts dotted along the beach with refreshments and you can take part in activities like wind surfing.

*These are 3 of many wonderful places to visit in Spain.

 

Finally….

Here at Job Coconut we have many companies with jobs in Spain live on our site right now. The companies that have jobs in Spain are as follows:

• Vistaprint – Marketing jobs, Translation jobs, Creative Design jobs and PR jobs.
• Oracle – IT Sales jobs.
• Computacenter – IT Support jobs.
• Careertrotter – Administrative jobs and IT Support jobs.
• Teradata - IT Deveopment jobs and IT Support support jobs.

 

So what are you waiting for? Click here to get started. 

Spain: Great Jobs, Great Places.