Spain’s minimum wage is €1,221 a month in 14 payments (2026), the week is at most 40 hours and you get at least 30 calendar days of paid holiday. Unemployment has fallen from 13.0% in 2022 to 10.5% in 2025, but is still well above the EU average of 6.0%. Find out where to look for a job, how to apply in Spanish and how to get your NIE and registration certificate.
EURES lists the occupation groups with the most shortages in Spain as health professionals, stationary plant and machine operators and agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers. Regions add their own needs, for example:
The official Catalogue of Hard-to-Fill Occupations (Catálogo de Ocupaciones de Difícil Cobertura) for the third quarter of 2026 lists, in all provinces, building electricians, aluminium, metal and PVC carpenters and fitters, and crane operators – plus merchant-navy jobs and professional sport.
At national level EURES sees more candidates than jobs among science and engineering professionals and business and administration associate professionals – so graduates in these fields face strong competition. Farming hires seasonal workers for the grape harvest (September) and the olive harvest (December/January), and tourist regions hire many people in hotels and restaurants.
Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.
EN 
CS
DE
ES
FR
HU
IT
PL
PT
РУ
SK
TR
УК
AR
中文