Many companies in Spain are looking for hire highly qualified foreign professionals who have skills not yet available in the local workforce. These highly qualified foreign professionals introduce and pass on new skills, train and upgrade the skills of local workers. Highly skilled foreign workers also bring different ideas and perspectives into the workplace. Lastly, the mix of various cultures brings about creativity and innovation that can only improve a company.
The Law for Entrepreneurs allows and encourages Spanish companies to hire foreign professionals and attract talent that will improve the country’s economy by encouraging talented and highly skilled non-EU foreigners to live and work in Spain.
Visa for highly qualified professionals
- Non-EU foreigners with higher education degrees (Masters or Doctorate) from prestigious universities and business schools
- Non-EU foreigners who are managers in large businesses or corporate groups
- Non-Eu foreigners who are highly skilled in technology
- Non-EU foreigners who manage a highly qualified staff of a project that is aligned with the socio-economic interests of Spain
- Non-EU highly qualified worker must have an existing job offer with a company in Spain
- Non-EU highly skilled foreign worker must have at least three to five years experience in the job he or she is hired for
Steps to follow for visa applications
There are only a few simple steps that the interested company and non-EU highly skilled foreign worker have to take to apply for the residence and work permit for the non-EU highly skilled foreign worker:
Step 1
The interested company must initiate the procedure and request for the residence and work visa for the non-EU highly qualified worker with the Unit for Large Companies and Strategic Economic Sectors or Unidad de Grandes Empresas (UGE) and that will be decided upon by the Director General for Migrations. Applications can be submitted online at the UGE website or through the public registry of the sub-delegation of government in any city or in person in the Madrid headquarters of the Unidad de Grandes Empresas (UGE).
Only the following companies may hire non-EU highly skilled foreign workers:
- Large companies and corporate groups that have a minimum of 250 employees and at least E50 million in revenue every year or net assets valued at€43 million
- Small and medium sized (SME) companies that operate in a strategic sector in Spain
- A company that is developing a project that is aligned with the socio-economic interests of Spain
Step 2
Once the company’s request has been approved, the non-EU highly qualified foreign worker must apply for the visa in person at a Spanish embassy or consulate if he or she is not yet in Spain or if already in Spain on a legal visa such as a tourist or student visa can start the application.
- Application must be submitted at least 90 days before the expected date of travel.
- Upon approval, a residence and work permit will be issued to the applicant.
- The residence and work visa is valid for two years and renewable for another two years.
The Unidad de Grandes Empresas or UGE requires that:
- The non-EU foreign highly qualified workers must earn a salary of at least €50,000 if he or she is a manager or director
- At least €40,000 for a lower category
- Non-EU foreign highly skilled workers in regulated professions such as lawyers, clinical psychologists, architects, engineers who sign projects, among others, must be previously validated in Spain. This is a process that may take more than a year. It is important that this process be done before applying for the visa.
Advantages of the residence and work visa for non-EU highly qualified foreign workers:
- Applicants may file joint applications and bring family members, spouse, children and dependent parents, with them.
- Applicants and their family members may travel freely within the Schengen area.
- Applicant can live and work anywhere in Spain.
- The years under this residence and work permit count towards Spanish nationality.
- The residence and work permit is valid in 25 to 27 European Union countries except Denmark and Ireland.
- No labor market test is required.
- Simplified procedure of 20 days for residence authorization and 10 days for visas.
- A representative may carry out the application process.
Change of Company
If a non-EU foreign highly skilled worker leaves or is dismissed by the company that has requested for his or her visa, the worker needs to notify the Unidad de Grandes Empresas or UGE. If the highly skilled worker would like to continue working in Spain, then a new request from the new company must be submitted which will be granted provided it is proven the the applicant is still a highly qualified worker. This new application must be done with thirty days of the end of the previous employment.