So you love Barcelona (or some other Spanish city) and want to come live and work here for a while, but you are not EU/EEA citizen? You still can come here with a Spanish Working Holiday Visa.
What Is A Working Holiday Visa?
A Working Holiday Visa (WHV) is a type of visa that allows you to travel and work in a certain country for 1-2 years.
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Working Holiday Visas are generally valid for 12 months. Some might be extended for another 6 or 12 months.
If you want a Working Holiday Visa for Barcelona, you’ll need a WHV for Spain.
Who Can Obtain A Working Holiday Visa For Spain?
The Working Holiday Visa is meant for young people something like 18-30 years old at the time of application.
Currently only 4 nationalities can obtain the Working Holiday Visa for Spain:
- Australia (500 visas per year)
- New Zealand (200 visas per year)
- Canada (1000 visas per year)
- Japan (250 visas per year)
Also, those that have a valid Working Holiday Visa for another Schengen country (eg Germany, France, etc) might be able to travel to Spain during the time the visa remains valid.
It is less clear whether it will be possible to work in Barcelona with a Working Holiday Visa issued by a 3rd state such as Germany.
In principle it is not possible and you’d be allowed to stay in Spain for only 90 days as a tourist, after that you’d have to register.
What Type Of Jobs Can I Get With A Spanish Working Holiday Visa?
The Working Holiday Visa will allow you to work in temporary roles. This means that pretty much all student and service jobs qualify.
The most common jobs are tourism-related:
- barista
- model
- designer
- photographer
- waiters
- kitchen assistants
- cooks
- receptionists
- admin jobs
- language teachers
- etc…
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Getting a job in Spain is much easier if you speak good Spanish, unless you work in IT, design, or fashion.
Working without a contract is illegal and not recommended as it might get you deported and banned from visiting Spain.
Where Can I work With A Spanish Working Holiday Visa?
With a Spanish Working Holiday Visa, you’ll be able to work in Spain (any region) for as long as the visa is valid, usually 1 year.
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This means that your visa will be valid in Barcelona, Madrid, Ibiza, Valencia, Sevilla, etc.
During the validity of the visa, you’ll also be able to change location and work for different employers.
How Do I Get A Working Holiday Visa For Spain?
Obtaining a Working Holiday Visa for Spain will require some administration and research and will involve presenting official documents to the authorities, including criminal records.
Most of the administration can be done online / per post, but you might need to go to the Spanish Embassy / Consulate in your country or nearest location and apply accordingly.
Find the links to the official application procedure below:
Important! Note that the number of yearly Working Holiday Visas issued to citizens of each country is usually limited to 200-1500 visas per year.
Typical Requirements For Working Holiday Visa In Spain
- Australian / Canadian / New Zealand / Japan Passport
- 18-30 years old by application date
- Sufficient Funds (arbitrary)
- Minimum 2 years of Higher Education
- Functional level of Spanish (proof of A1 level)
- Cover Letter
- Health Check
- Formal invitation (“letter of support”)
- Clean criminal record
- No dependents relatives / kids
- Not having taking part in the program yet
- Up to 100 EUR application fee
Next Steps: Getting Your Spanish Working Holiday Visa
- Gather information. Visit the official embassy / consulate web sites and find out whether you are elegible for a Spanish Working Holiday Visa.
- Prepare documentation for the application. Make sure you do not miss any deadlines.
- Apply online and submit all the documentation for your working holiday visa in Spain.
- Wait for the resolution. You might be in Spain sooner than you think!
- Seek alternatives. Another option is to get a visa for Barcelona is to apply for a student visa as a full-time student.
Study in Barcelona:
Do you know anyone who wants to work & travel in Spain?
