Sunbathing on the beach, eating paella by a terrace, gorging on churros, watching a flamenco show and almost having the opportunity to see Pablo Alboran (well for me at least) are things we all wish to experience as we include Spain to our bucket list. But how can you live and work in Spain for an extended period of time to soak it all in? After years of a dream, extensive research and final execution; here are some ways I have discovered to make your dream to stay in Spain come true:

How to Live and Work in Spain

NON-EU CITIZENS

Live and Work in Spain: Do you speak in English

live and work in Spain-siciliaconvention.com-image

  1. TEACHING ENGLISH: For every young American you see living in Spain there is a 90% chance that they are teaching English in some sort way.  The demand for teaching English in Spain is very high. The Spanish are trying more than ever to keep up in today’s global environment and English happens to be a global language. So if you are a  native English speaker,  you are in luck! There are several ways of getting a job teaching English.
    • Programs: There are a couple of programs here in Spain but the well-known ones are: Auxiliares de Conversaciones, CIEE, CAPS, MEDDEAS, BEDA. For most of these programs, you have to start applying from mid-November to February. The interview and selection process goes on from February until July. One starts working in September. With these programs, your students would mostly be children from Kindergarten through High school
    • Academies: This one is a little bit tricky because many academies need you to have a legal working permit to be able to work with them. However, there are some academies that provide work visas. The only one that does this to my knowledge is the American Language Academy (ALA). With Academies your students will range from 2-year-olds to adults in companies. 
    • Private Lessons: This is where most teachers get extra cash from after their main jobs. For others, private lessons are their bread and butter. Here you will earn the most money but of course with more risk. The pros are you have control of the price charged and time flexibility. The cons are student cancellations, late payments, shady students, inconsistent students, unstable job security etc. 
    • Freelance: A bit similar to Private lessons, but you can work for an agency, company, private classes; however you will need to register in the Spanish system as a freelancer and pay a tiny fee. The pros and cons of Private lessons also apply here. 
  2. AU PAIR:  for this option, you can stay with Spanish families and play/teach their children in English. Accommodation, Food, and Moving guidance are usually provided with this arrangement. In addition, weekly stipends are normally given. If interested check out: Aupair World 
Live and Work in Spain: Ernst and Young

live and work in Spain-blog.keitharkins.com-EY

3. WORK TRANSFER: This is a quite rare situation but sometimes multinational companies that have offices in Spain and need their local employee for a special international assignment could transfer he/she here. 

4. STUDY ABROAD: This route is probably the most popular. Most schools offer a program where a student can choose a subject to study in a school overseas. These programs could last from 2 weeks to a 1 year. There are two types of Study abroad programs:

  •  Regular: This is the program where the student meets with a study abroad adviser to discuss location, cost, compatibility, and courses.
  • Fulbright: This is more of a scholarship whereby the Fulbright program sponsors your trip, accommodation etc in another country for studies or research. Naturally, it is a competitive program but worth the shot. Plus it would really look good on your resume.
live and work in Spain: Vaughan

live and work in Spain-bonvoyagelauren.com-Vaughantown

5. VOLUNTEERING: You could also opt to volunteer in order to live in Spain. Most volunteer programs require a fee but offer Room and Board, Food, Immersion programs, Excursion, Referral Services. Here are a few known organizations: CIEE, Work away, GoAbroad.com, Transitions Abroad, Pueblo Ingles, Vaughan Town etc. 

 

EU CITIZENS

  1. TEACHING ENGLISH: The only difference with teaching English as an EU citizen is that you have more opportunities for work. 
    • Programs: British Council, CAPS, MEDDEAS, BEDA
    • Academies: EU citizen can teach in any academy. Make sure to get a proper contract and read it carefully. 
live and work in Spain: kids

live and work in Spain-www.culturalcare.ie-happy children

     2. AU PAIR: Aupair World 

     3. HOSTEL EMPLOYEE: Hostels are usually an international hub so English speakers are always needed. Some benefits of working in a hostel include; Salary, Food, Room, and Board.

     4. CORPORATIONS: You can apply to multinational or Spanish companies for jobs like Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Advertising, Publishing etc. Some well-known websites include Indeed.com, Graduateland, Infojobs.

live and work in Spain-Travel Volunteer

live and work in Spain-www.educationaltravelservice.com- Travel Volunteer

     5. TOURISM: This is a big part of Spain. EU students could work for travel agencies, student traveling groups, walking tours etc. The options are unlimited. 

    6. ERASMUS: This is the term used for Study Abroad in Europe

     7. VOLUNTEERING: Same as for Non-EU citizens

     8. FREELANCE AND PRIVATE LESSON are similar as above.

Am I missing anything?  Was this helpful? Wanna know the financial benefits of each scenario? Let me know by contacting me at contact@hijabiglobetrotter.com

Check out how to find apartments in Spain here.