Spain

Country: Spain

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.

  1. Register at the town hall (empadronamiento) of the place where you live, with proof of your accommodation.
  2. Registration certificate (certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión): if you stay longer than 3 months, apply within 3 months of arrival at the immigration office (Oficina de Extranjería) or a police station in your province. You need form EX-18, your passport or ID card and the fee of €12.00 (form 790, code 012). The certificate shows your foreigner identity number, the NIE.
  3. Social Security number: you get it with form TA.1 and your ID; your employer must register you before you start work.
  4. Health card (tarjeta sanitaria): once you are registered with the Social Security, ask your local health centre for it.
  5. Tax: your employer deducts income tax (IRPF) from your salary. You file a yearly tax return in spring – for income earned in 2025 you generally did not have to file if your work income from one employer was no more than €22,000 (€15,876 with more than one employer, with exceptions).

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published: 2014-09-02
last modification: 2026-10-03

Common questions about job applications and interviews

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.

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