European Union National

As a National of the European Union (EU), you already enjoy the right to work in Spain.
Getting all your affairs straight still takes effort.

Whilst some move first, many search for a Spanish visa in London and UK, or a Spanish Emigration Solicitor in London and UK.

Non European Union National

Many start by asking "How to I get a Work Visa?"

Even if a role is specialised, you will need a company or school to sponsor you to get the visa, but you will often need the visa to get a job in the first place.

One question is "What are the typical (average) costs of getting a work visa for Spain and Barcelona?"

The first likely response is that it is costly and time consuming. A Spanish or Local solicitor / lawyer speacialising in Spanish Emigration is really needed, pushing the cost to 1000€ and sometimes more. With half of that for the process of legalizing your application and advise on getting a work visa for Barcelona. How you apply and the words to use in a spanish visa application, is important.

Fruitless too, if the Spanish (Catalan) Government is not offering Visas to English Language Teachers, which has been the case.

Another question is "What are the types of work visa for Spain and Barcelona?"

1. “Cuenta Ajena" (Employed : Work Visa)
   Suited to those who will be finding work with a language school in barcelona or a company with them paying your social security and a contract.
   Being contracted with a BCN company for at least 1 year is really needed.
   A trial period may encourage a reluctant employer to offer one.

   How to get a “Cuenta Ajena" (Employed : Work Visa)

   Contracts with companies are rarer and often pay less, but if very specialised, they can lead to a visa. Your role can then possible be changed after a year or so, towards your language teaching skills.
   Or one with a Barcelona Public or Private language School

   At the contracts renewal it is important to be working, preferably as a language teacher in Barcelona (Spain) or registered as unemployed. Naturally, you will not get benefits but you may get helpful free courses in Barcelona (via the Ayuntamiento), whilst you seek new language teaching opportunities.

   Academies and companies often want you to be self-employed / freelancing (autonomo).
   After your first year, of active work, it may be easier to become self employed or get a visa stay to look for work. Sometimes for 2 years. Especially if you can show the work contract was happily renewed several times by one company, and it matches your planned self employed role (i.e. Teaching Languages in Barcelona)

2. "Cuenta Propia" (autónomo) (Self Employed : Work Visa)
   Suited to working self employed as a language teacher in Barcelona.
   Paying your own Social Security for your work as a Barcelona Language Teacher.

   How to get a "Cuenta Propia" (autónomo) (Self Employed : Work Visa)

   However, you are likely to need good language qualifications, to be accepted.
   e.g. A TEFL certificate or teaching degree (Approved and Translated to Spanish)
   Getting non Spanish qualifications ‘Co-validated’, accepted as equivalent to local ones, if needed.

   Supplying signed agreements from your Language Students, with their NIF or CIF (identification numbers), plus letters confirming their plans to use your services will help.

   It appears that the Hacienda (the Spanish IRS) and the social security department both need registered with, even before getting the actual visa. The Hacienda first. Especially when moving from employed to self employed types of visas in Spain. Historically, it can take anywhere between 6 and 12 months (less will be lucky).

3. "Student Visa"
   Not suitable to work, but necessary if you wish to join ‘The Language Assistant Program’. Working part time in Schools as an English Assistant (Teacher) alongside a Spanish teacher, via a Grant from the Spanish Government. Often from October to May.
   Spanish Student Visas are obtained via a process, which can be lengthy, from your nearest Spanish Consulate before coming to Spain.

   A letter of good health from a doctor, a police record, and copies of your passport need to be supplied, once they have been verified as legal documents via a Apostille. Which the consulate can help with. It confirms that the document is genuine and signed by authorised person from the organisation that issued it,

   This process results in a student visa sticker being added to your passport. A resident of Spain (empadronamiento) will need to become your sponsor and you have to apply for a NIE (national identity card of Europe), on arrival.

Another question is "What are spanish visa requirements for Spain and Barcelona?"

Spanish visa application form and documents (subject to change)

1. The application to register called a Work Authorization Application (Solicitud de Permiso de Trabajo) needs provided to the Ministry of Labor in Spain.
2. A statement on what you plan to do and how. Showing financial worth and how you will support the move to Barcelona (Spain). An Spanish emigration solicitor / lawyer may be worth the expense. TEFL certificate, your teaching degree (Approved and Translated to Spanish)
3. Your work permit, passport, etc. An emigration solicitor / lawyer specialised in Spain may be worth the expense.

Getting a visa for working and becoming a Language teacher in Spain
Another question is "How do I find spanish visa requirements for Spain and Barcelona?"

Whilst some visit first, Language Teachers and others wishing to work in Spain, often look within their home country. Many for a Spanish Visa in London, India, Mumbai , South Africa, Australians, Dubai, Dublin, New Delhi. Or a Spanish Emigration Solicitor.

As within many countries,

Americans can contact a Spanish Consulat (subject to change)

• New York Consulado General de España en Nueva York Consulate General of Spain Location: New York 150 East 58th Street, New York NY 10155 -U.S.A.
  Contact: Tfno.:212/ 355-4080 Fax.: 212/644-3751
  Web: www.spainconsul-ny.org

• San Francisco Consulado General de España en San Francisco
  Location: 1405 Sutter St. San Francisco, CA 94109
  Contact: Tel. (415) 922-2995/96 Fax: (415) 931-9706 conspsfo@mail.mae.es
  Web: www.maec.es/sanfrancisco

Canadians can contact a Spanish Consulat (subject to change)

• Montreal Consulado General de España en Montreal
  Location:1, Westmount Sq. Ste. 1546 Montreal, (Quebec)H3Z 2P9
  Contact: Canadatel (514) 935-5235 – fax (514) 935-4655
  Web: www.maec.es/canada

Spanish Consulat List:
www.spainemb.org/consulado

Working Illegally in Spain?
Things have tightened up. The practice of Non EU citizens popping in and out of the country to get their visa stamped every 3 months has become less prevalent. Whilst supplying private and company language classes.

It is better to offer Spain a specialism and a financial return for your working here. It allows for the support and comfort available, as a Language Teacher in Barcelona (Spain). Teaching may not be illegal, and some offer private lessons. However the pay will never we as good, and working properly for an employer or as a spanish self employed language teacher, starts with being legal.

Visiting on a student’s visa for six months and studying Spanish or for a CELTA (English teaching certificate) course is a better first step. Or, a teacher may come over on a tourist visa, do (this has been the traditional method in the past). Or, they may have to take a teaching job at that poor neighborhood academy just down the street after all, despite only getting paid 600 euros per month for 25 class hours per week.