Getting a Work Permit in Spain
After Your Student Visa
Found a job in Spain? Here is how the transition from student visa to work permit works — who initiates it, how long it takes, and whether you need to leave Spain.
Getting a Spanish Work Permit After Your Student Visa
Transitioning from a Spain student visa to a work permit is one of the most common immigration pathways for former students who have found employment. Spain's immigration system allows this transition — sometimes without leaving Spain — but the process requires employer sponsorship and specific conditions to be met.
Who Initiates the Work Permit Application
Unlike most immigration applications, the Spanish work permit application (autorización de trabajo por cuenta ajena) is initiated by the employer — not by you as the employee. Your employer submits the application to the immigration authorities on your behalf. This means you need an employer who is both willing and eligible to sponsor a work permit.
To be eligible to sponsor a work permit, your employer must: be legally registered in Spain, be up to date with their tax and Social Security obligations, and be offering a genuine employment contract at or above the minimum wage for the role.
Types of Work Permit Available
- Autorización de trabajo por cuenta ajena — standard employed work permit, sponsored by an employer
- Autorización de trabajo por cuenta propia — self-employed work permit for freelancers and business owners
- EU Blue Card — for highly qualified workers with a university degree and a salary above a specified threshold
- Digital Nomad Visa — for remote workers working primarily for non-Spanish clients (min. 80% non-Spanish income)