Best Jobs in Spain for Americans

If you’re planning to move to Spain from the United States, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate visa. Plus, unless you’re relocating there for your retirement years, you’ll likely need to look for a job. If you speak Spanish, that can help—and it’s also true that speaking English can be advantageous for many jobs.

Spain does have an unemployment rate that’s higher than average with percentages varying by province. So be prepared for that situation.

Here’s the process that, as an American, you’ll undergo to qualify for a particular job in Spain. First, before foreigners can get a job in a certain category, the Public Employment Service must first list it as a shortage occupation—in other words, it must be an industry where Spanish workers can’t fill in the necessary gaps. Then, once you get a job offer, your Spanish employer must request a work visa for you from the Ministry of Labor. This process can take up to eight months, so plan for this. If you want to be self-employed in Spain, you can apply for a work visa while you’re still in the United States at a Spanish consulate or embassy.

With that in mind: what are the best jobs in Spain for Americans?

Jobs Teaching English in Spain

To benefit from your ability to speak English, teaching can be a natural career path to choose in Spain. These expat jobs in Spain can range from working as a private tutor to teaching English at a university. Some, but not all, of these teaching jobs require certification. When they do, it may be one of the following:

• Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL): You don’t need to have teaching experience to get TEFL-certified, and there are online courses available to get this certification.
• Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA): This course from Cambridge is available to take online or in person. (If you notice that the acronym doesn’t match for this certification, it used to be called “Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults.”)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL): Although there are slight differences, TESOL is very similar to TEFL.

Plus, of course, if you have an English or teaching degree, this can help you to find employment. As a related job, if you speak Spanish well, consider seeking work as a translator.

Hospitality Jobs

Good expat jobs in Spain include ones at restaurants, bars, hotels, and catering facilities—especially in cities considered to be tourist destinations: Barcelona, for example, and Madrid. If you have experience in this field—such as being a chef with specialized culinary skills or a bartender who can dazzle patrons with fancy drinks—you could well be in demand in Spain. Even if that isn’t the case, hospitality jobs in Spain for Americans are often available.

Related to these jobs are ones in the tourism industry, working at hotels and resorts in non-culinary jobs. Perhaps you could take reservations and check guests in and out at the front desk or assist them by carrying their luggage to their rooms, finding amenities in the facilities, and so forth. Another possibility: working as a travel consultant, helping people to visit Spain and enjoy the county’s tourism sites.

Information Technology Jobs

If you’ve got the expertise, then jobs in Spain for Americans can include those in the information technology (IT) field. From IT project managers to web developers with coding and programming specialties, when companies in Spain are finding it hard to find qualified workers, this can be an excellent opportunity for Americans seeking expat jobs in Spain.

Plus, the reality is that hackers create problems for people and companies around the world—and this includes in Spain. So, if you’re a cyber security expert, you may find this type of employment. There can also be employment for people who have advanced IT skills as a software engineer, artificial intelligence engineer, and so forth.

Sales Jobs

If you’re interested in assisting companies with selling their products and services, there are jobs in Spain for Americans with those abilities. As with other jobs mentioned, if you’re bilingual in Spanish and English, you’ll be more in demand. Sales jobs can be one of the higher paying opportunities in Spain with openings often available at entry levels as well as for those with more experience.

Expat Jobs in Spain: Looking Ahead

According to the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), employment opportunities are anticipated to “grow substantially till 2030” with the following careers seen as drivers:

• Financial services
• Education
• Construction
• Service occupations, including clerks and legal, social, and office associates

According to CEDEFOP, about half of the total job openings from now through 2030 will have high qualification levels. Because of this country’s employment structure, where expats living in Spain can only fill positions when shortages exist, Americans seeking jobs in this country will need to monitor opportunities available to them to see how they evolve.

Here’s an incentive to secure one of these jobs. Legal residents qualify for free public healthcare when working in Spain. As an American, you’ll register at the local Social Security office. Then, you’ll receive your “tarjeta sanitaria individual,” which is the healthcare care you’ll take with you on medical appointments.

International Move to Spain

If you decide that a relocation to Spain from the United States is right, it makes sense to use an experienced international mover who can help you to navigate the challenges of moving overseas. Fortunately, Suddath has more than a century of relocation experience and we’ll leverage our know-how to seamlessly move your belongings to Spain. We have deep insights into issues connected with an overseas move and can help you to save time and money while lowering the stress. In other words, besides reducing the headaches related to packing and shipping, we also manage risks associated with an international move.

Are you ready to move to Spain? Reach out for a free quote from Suddath.