Expand your global workforce in Spain
Your guide to the employment landscape, working customs and local labor laws in Spain
Capital
Madrid
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Languages
Spanish
GDP per Capita
$31,781.08
Employer Tax
29.90%
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
Talent overview
Spain is known for its amazing culture, delicious food, and mesmerizing scenarios. Tourism in Spain progressed the economy, the country had 82.8M visitors generating 89.8 EUR billion in international receipts. According to the Institute of Economic Studies, Spain also holds the fourth-ranking for the highest number of engineers and scientists in the European Union (EU). Major industries that progress the economy in Spain are; Tourism, Agriculture, manufacturing, and energy industries.
Major economic hubs:
Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Las Palmas
Skills in demand:
Business Development Manager, Human Resources Manager, IT Manager.
Spain
Top local universities in Spain
Universidad de Barcelona
RANKING
Local: 1
World : 120
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
RANKING
Local: 2
World : 123
Universidad de Valencia
RANKING
Local: 3
World : 157
Universidad de Granada
RANKING
Local: 4
World : 159
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
RANKING
Local: 5
World : 208
Top Local Job Boards:
Infojobs.net, Indeed Spain, LinkedIn, Trabajamos
Number of LinkedIn users:
16,410,000
Multiplier Recruitment Partner:
Where to find talent
Top Local Job Boards:
Top Local Job Boards
Number of LinkedIn users:
Number of LinkedIn users
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Salary Data
The table below mentions some jobs with the average salary in Spain.
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (EUR) | Average Monthly Salary(USD) |
| Financial Manager | 5,240 | 5,631.24 |
| General Manager | 4,860 | 5,222.87 |
| Information Technology Manager | 4640 | 4,986.45 |
| Sales Manager | 4,600 | 4,943.46 |
| Human Resources Manager | 4,150 | 4,459.86 |
| Financial Analyst | 3,510 | 3,772.07 |
| Project Manager | 3,440 | 3,696.85 |
Employ in Spain
Employing in Spain
When onboarding an individual from Spain, employers have to know about the employment laws, benefits, social security, deductions, and employment processes. The below section contains all the information that is necessary for an employer.
Employee Contract
According to Spain Labor Legislation, Job Employment contracts are mandatory for both temporary and permanent employment, and that the employer has to provide one for the employee.
The employer has to mention all the details below if the employment contract is more than four weeks.
- Employment Identification.
- Commencement date and end of the project date for temporary employment.
- Service place/location.
- Compensation, Base Salary, and Benefits to the employee.
- Details of working hours, leaves, and notice period.
Public and Provincial Holidays
| Date | Name | Type |
| January 1 | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
| January 6 | Epiphany | National Holiday |
| April 18 | Good Friday | National Holiday |
| May 1 | Labor Day / May Day | National Holiday |
| August 15 | Assumption of Mary | National Holiday |
| October 13 | Hispanic Day observed | National Holiday |
| November 1 | All Saints’ Day | National Holiday |
| December 6 | Constitution Day | National Holiday |
| December 8 | Immaculate Conception | National Holiday |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | National Holiday |
Local Holidays
| Date | Name | Localities |
| February 28 | Day of Andalucía | AN |
| March 1 | Day of the Balearic Islands | IB |
| March 19 | San Jose | MU, VC |
| March 31 | Eid al-Fitr | ML |
| April 17 | Maundy Thursday | All except CT, VC |
| April 21 | Easter Monday | PV, CT, LO, NA, VC |
| April 23 | Castile and León Day | CL |
| April 23 | Day of Aragón | AR |
| May 2 | Day of Madrid | M |
| May 17 | Galicia Literature Day | GA |
| May 30 | Day of the Canary Islands | CN |
| May 31 | Day of Castile-La Mancha | CM |
| June 6 | Eid al-Adha | CE, ML |
| June 9 | Day of Murcia | MU |
| June 9 | Day of La Rioja | LO |
| June 19 | Corpus Christi | CM |
| June 24 | Saint John the Baptist Day | CT, VC |
| July 25 | Feast of Saint James the Apostle | PV, GA, NA, M |
| July 28 | Day of the Institutions | S |
| August 5 | The Day of Our Lady of Africa | CE |
| September 8 | Day of Asturias | O |
| September 8 | Day of Extremadura | EX |
| September 11 | National Day of Catalonia | CT |
| September 15 | Nuestra Señora de la Bien Aparecida | S |
| October 9 | Day of the Valencian Community | VC |
| December 3 | Day of Navarre | NA |
| December 26 | St Stephen’s Day | IB, CT |
Employee Leaves
| Type of Leave | Time Period | Mandatory |
| Annual Leave | 22 days (30 calendar days) | Yes |
| Sick Leave | There is no specific day for sick leave, although the employer pays from day 4 to day 20 | Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 16 weeks | Yes |
Leave Compliance
Payroll in Spain
Payroll cycle
Employees are paid once a month in Spain.
Minimum wage
The minimum wage in Spain is the following for different employees;
Read more
Overtime pay
The overtime pay should not exceed over 80 hours in a year, as stated by Spain’s Labor law. Overtime hours are only acceptable if the employee agrees to work based on an acceptable collective agreement.
Read more
How taxes work
Employer Payroll Tax
| Type of Pension | Contribution |
| Social Insurance Pensions | 23.6% |
| Force Majeure Overtime | 12% |
| Voluntary Overtime | 23.6% |
Employee Payroll Tax
| Type of Pension | Contribution |
| Social Insurance Pensions | 4.7% |
| Force Majeure Overtime | 2% |
| Voluntary Overtime | 4.7% |
Employee Income Tax
The national income tax rates are as follows:
| Annual Income (Euros) | Income Tax Rate |
| 0 to 12,450 | 9.5% |
| 12,450 to 20,200 | 12% |
| 20,200 to 35,200 | 15% |
| 35,200 to 60,000 | 18.5% |
| 60,000 to 300,000 | 22.5% |
| Above 300,000 | 24.5% |
The Personal Income Tax Law specifies nationwide income tax withholding rates of Spanish residents’ employment income(withholding rates may differ for Basque Country and Navarre residents).
| Annual Income (Euros) | Withholding Tax Rate |
| 0 to 12,450 | 19% |
| 12,450 to 20,200 | 24% |
| 20,200 to 35,200 | 30% |
| 35,200 to 60,000 | 37% |
| Above 60,000 | 45% |
| Above 300,000 | 47% |
VAT
VAT is 21% in Spain.
Bonus
13th Month Pay
The employer has to provide the 13th month and 14th-month pay, one in July and another in December. Employment Contracts and Collective Agreements should have all the 13th and 14th-month compensation details.
Employee Benefits
As stated by the Spain Statutory Laws, the employer has to provide the employee with the below-mentioned benefits;
- Social Security
- Sick and Disability Leave
- Healthcare Insurances
- Pension Benefits
Employee offboarding
For the termination of an employee, employers in Spain can provide fair reasons. However, if an employee is employed for more than six months and there is dismissal from the employer, it has to be “Socially Justified” by the following points.
- Termination of employment for disciplinary reasons without notice.
- Termination with notice for ordinary causes.
Generally, the notice period in Spain is 2 weeks. However, the notice period depends on the reason for termination of the employment.
When the employer terminates the employee without notice, the employer has to provide severance pay for the duration of the notice period. However, if there is a disciplinary dismissal (based on a punishable offence), the employee will not be provided with any severance pay from the employer.
Visa and
immigration
In Spain, if the employee belongs to a European Union (EU), they will not require any visa for 3 months. Employees who are not from the EU will require visas for different categories. Based on the length of the employment, a visa in Spain is classified into four main categories:
Read more
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Overtime Pay
Minimum Wage
The minimum wage across agriculture, industry, and services—regardless of a worker’s age or gender—is set at EUR 37.80 per day or EUR 1,134 per month.
For temporary workers employed under contracts lasting up to 120 days, the minimum daily wage is EUR 53.71.
Domestic staff working in private households are entitled to a minimum hourly wage of EUR 8.87 per hour worked.
Overtime Pay
The overtime pay should not exceed over 80 hours in a year, as stated by Spain’s Labor law. Overtime hours are only acceptable if the employee agrees to work based on an acceptable collective agreement. Either a compensation or a rest day will be provided to the employee for overtime work which is to be mentioned in the agreement. However, if the agreement does not mention overtime pay, the employer must give 4 months of rest to the employee.
Visa and Immigration
In Spain, if the employee belongs to a European Union (EU), they will not require any visa for 3 months. Employees who are not from the EU will require visas for different categories. Based on the length of the employment, a visa in Spain is classified into four main categories;
- Long Term Visa: This visa is mainly for highly-skilled non-EU employees. The employer will request a work visa from the Ministry of Labour, Spain. The work permit process can extend to 8 months, and the employee has to apply physically at the home country’s Spain Embassy.
- Short Term Visa: This visa is for seasonal workers who work for a period of time in Spain. The employer can request the work permit from the Ministry of Labour, Spain, on behalf of the employee. The employee has to show the suitable accommodation and travel allowances for this visa.
- EU Blue Card: This visa is for individuals who have spent 3 years or more in Spain after completing higher education. The individual needs to submit an employment contract that mentions compensation of at least 50% more than the Spain Minimum Wage. EU Blue visa is valid for only a year and can be renewed if the criteria meet.
Au Pair Visas: This is a special visa for Individuals from Paris valid for one year. The individual needs to show documentation to support their expenses and accommodation and travel expenditures.