Job opportunities for expats in Spain

Most expats come to Spain with the hope of staying for a longer period in the country. One of the important factors to think about is whether the country can offer them jobs and investment opportunities.

Some people believe that Spain is not a very good place for employment and investment as the economy is still recovering from the crisis of 2008 while experiencing a disastrous pandemic. However, signs are showing that the macro economy is recovering at a fast speed. According to BBVA, the Spanish economy will grow 5.5 percent in 2021 and 7 percent in 2022, fairly fast growth for a developed economy. This is because most companies and other social-economic activities have already back to their normal track.

1. What are the most popular industries in Spain?

2. How can I make use of the opportunities?

3. If I haven´t mastered Spanish, is it possible to get jobs?

1. What are the most popular industries in Spain?

The most famous industry in Spain is tourism. All the related businesses such as hospitality, restaurants, and bars used to be important industries that most expats devote themselves to. However, the pandemic has changed a lot this situation.

Apart from tourism, the technology industry is also gaining momentum due to the business opportunities behind it. Every industry, whether traditional or not, is experiencing a rapid digital transformation. Spanish companies, especially new-founded ones, favor people with high-tech skills, such as coding, cloud computing, and knowledge of IoT. If you have already acquired these skills, you might find many opportunities here in Spain.

Sustainability is also a heating topic. It cannot be classified simply as an industry, it is a way of living and thinking, a brand-new way of creating and doing business. More and more new business ideas are created to solve sustainability problems, such as environmental issues, pollution, or animal cruelty. Like other European countries, Spain is also the leading advocate of this trend, where you can find business opportunities regarding this issue.

2. How can I make use of the opportunities?

It seems that Spain contains different opportunities. Many people would wonder how to make use of the opportunities.

First and foremost, you can always find existing jobs on job-seeking platforms, such as LinkedIn, infojobs, and so on. Keep track of the latest news, conferences, and the companies you wish to work for. It’s also a good idea to get in touch with alumni and expand your network. Try to be bold and creative!

Spain is also a good place for you if you want to start your own business. Barcelona has been ranked as one of the top 3 places in Europe to start a business for many reasons: abundant incubators and investors willing to help; easy access to venture capital; direct access to international talents who graduated from top business schools like ESADE, EADA or IESE; quality life and easy work and life balance. If you have a good business idea, then go for it! The city has already incubated more than 1300 startups of technological transformation and life sciences. Madrid is also a grand start-up incubator where you can find all the easy-to-access facilities.

Having a business idea seems easy but keeping the business running is a different story. We want to offer you our well-designed business insurance to assist you through this wild journey.

3. If I haven´t mastered Spanish, is it possible to get jobs?

As an expat going to a foreign country, language barriers might be the biggest challenge for most people. If this is the case, working for an international company would be a great idea for many as the official language would be English. Spain is the Southern European center where most companies set up a strategic branch. Spain is surrounded by Portugal, Italy, and France. Moreover, it has great connections with Western and Northern Europe and even Africa. Besides Madrid, the capital city where most international companies would choose to settle down, Málaga is also a popular destination for its adjacency to Africa.

Start-up companies also offer a lot of opportunities to expats. Most start-up company tends to recruit international workers that know English and other languages because they usually aspire to expand their businesses later to other geographic areas and need employees with specific language skills.

Still, there are other jobs without high-level language requirements such as language teachers, jobs in international organizations, or private schools. We want to ensure your safe stay in Spain by offering our medical insurance, perfect expat insurance that meets visa/NIE/TIE requirements and understands the health needs of expats. We are the official international department of Adeslas, the No.1 medical insurance in Spain

Check out this blog if you are curious about income tax:

• Guide to the income tax statement in Spain
• Guide on how to open a business in Spain
• Guide to a job-seeking residence permit (Permiso de residencia para la búsqueda de trabajo)
• Becoming a freelancer in Spain: visa options
• Can an international student earn extra money while studying in Spain?

Our content will be updated according to the most recent legislation. Last update: 25/07/2023