Relocating Staff to Spain: Visas and Work Permits Overview

Moving employees to Spain is one of the most common requests we receive from international companies. The good news: Spain offers several routes for skilled professionals, remote workers and intra-company transferees. The challenge: the right route depends on the person’s nationality, the employer’s structure and the role. This overview explains the main options so that HR and leadership can plan timelines realistically.

First question: EU or non-EU?

EU, EEA and Swiss nationals do not need a visa or work permit. After arriving, they register at the Central Register of Foreign Nationals and obtain an EU registration certificate, together with their NIE, before or shortly after starting work. Social security registration still applies.

Non-EU nationals need an authorisation that allows them to reside and work in Spain. The main routes are below.

The main routes for non-EU staff

1. Highly qualified professional (Law 14/2013)

The “entrepreneurs law” created a fast-track for highly qualified professionals, managed by the Unit for Large Companies and Strategic Groups (UGE-CE). It is designed for managers and qualified professionals hired by companies meeting certain criteria, with streamlined processing and the ability to apply from Spain or abroad. Salary and qualification criteria apply.

2. Intra-company transfer

For employees of a group moving from a non-EU entity to a Spanish entity or client site. It requires a prior employment or professional relationship with the group and covers managers, specialists and trainees. There are national and EU (ICT Directive) variants.

3. EU Blue Card

For highly qualified employment with a minimum salary threshold and a qualifying degree or professional experience. It offers mobility advantages within the EU over time.

4. International teleworking visa (“digital nomad”)

Introduced by the 2022 Startups Law, it allows non-EU nationals to live in Spain while working remotely for companies outside Spain (with limits on work for Spanish companies). It suits employees of a foreign employer who will not be hired by a Spanish entity.

5. Entrepreneur residence

For founders developing an innovative business activity in Spain with a favourable report from ENISA.

6. General employee work permit

The standard route, subject to the national employment situation (unless the role appears in the shortage occupation catalogue). Generally slower and less predictable than the routes above.

Note: Spain’s investor “golden visa” for real-estate purchases was abolished in 2025 and is no longer a relocation route.

What employers need to prepare

• The employing entity: a Spanish company or branch, or a foreign employer using the teleworking route. If you do not yet have a Spanish entity, see our guide on setting up an SL in Spain.
• Employment contract and job description meeting Spanish standards and, where relevant, salary thresholds.
• Company documents: tax and social security compliance certificates, corporate documents.
• Employee documents: passport, criminal record certificate, degree certificates, health insurance where required, usually apostilled and translated into Spanish.

After arrival: the practical checklist

1. Collect the residence card (TIE) within the deadline after entry, with fingerprints at the police station.
2. Register at the town hall (empadronamiento).
3. Register with Social Security before the first day of work.
4. Open a bank account and set up payroll.
5. Tax residence: assess whether the employee becomes Spanish tax resident and whether the special regime for inbound workers (often called the “Beckham regime”) may apply: the application window is short.
6. Family members: spouses and children can usually accompany the main applicant under family reunification provisions tied to the main route.

Typical timelines

Timelines vary by route, consulate and season. Fast-track routes for highly qualified professionals and intra-company transfers are usually the most predictable; the general work permit is the slowest. Build in time for document legalisation: collecting apostilles abroad is often the longest step.

Common mistakes

• Starting work before the authorisation is granted.
• Missing the TIE appointment or the special tax regime deadline.
• Using the digital nomad visa for someone who will in fact work for a Spanish company.
• Underestimating translation and apostille lead times.
• Forgetting social security coordination for staff on assignment from another country.

Document checklist for a non-EU employee

Employee

• Passport valid for the whole stay, with copies of all pages.
• Degree certificates and, where relevant, evidence of professional experience.
• Criminal record certificates from the countries of residence in recent years, apostilled or legalised and translated into Spanish.
• Proof of health insurance where the route requires it, and a medical certificate if requested.

Employer

• Corporate documents of the Spanish entity or the foreign group company (register extract, tax ID).
• The employment contract or assignment letter describing role, salary and duration.
• Evidence that the company is up to date with tax and Social Security obligations.
• For intra-company transfers, proof of the group relationship and of prior employment within the group.

Posted workers and social security

When an employee stays on a foreign payroll and is posted to Spain, two separate questions arise. First, the employer must notify the Spanish labour authority of the posting before work starts and respect Spanish minimum working conditions. Second, social security: within the EU, an A1 certificate keeps the employee in the home system for a limited period; with some non-EU countries, bilateral social security agreements play the same role. Without such coverage, Spanish Social Security registration is usually required.

Tax residence and the inbound worker regime

Someone who spends more than 183 days a year in Spain, or whose centre of economic interests is there, generally becomes Spanish tax resident. Spain has a special regime for inbound workers (often called the “Beckham law”) which, under certain conditions, lets new residents be taxed under non-resident rules for a limited number of years. Eligibility and deadlines are strict: the election is made shortly after Social Security registration. Get tax advice before the move, not after.

A relocation timeline, qualitatively

1. Assess nationality, role, salary and duration to choose the route.
2. Collect documents: apostilles and translations are usually the slowest part.
3. File the application (often online with the Large Companies Unit for Law 14/2013 routes).
4. Visa at the consulate if the employee applies from abroad.
5. Arrival: register locally (empadronamiento), book the fingerprint appointment for the TIE card and register with Social Security.

Official sources

• Ministry of Inclusion, Immigration portal: inclusion.gob.es
• Unit for Large Companies (UGE-CE): extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es
• Spanish Social Security: seg-social.es
• Spanish Tax Agency: agenciatributaria.es

Immigration rules change frequently; always verify the current requirements or work with a licensed immigration adviser.

How Focaly Group helps

Our HR & Relocation practice coordinates route selection, document collection, applications with licensed immigration advisers, housing search and settling-in. If you need a Spanish employer entity first, Company Formation & Expansion sets it up in parallel.