Making a Living in Spain
Anne Hall
Making a Living in Spain is a practical, down-to-earth guide for anyone who aspires to earn a living in Spain. It contains detailed advice about job hunting, the pros and cons of being self-employed, and how to fulfil the dream of starting your own business. Whether you are a craftsman, teacher, health professional or IT specialist, or you wish to open a shop or restaurant, this guide will help you make a go of it. It includes real-life stories from those who are already earning a living in Spain, so that you can profit from the successes (and mistakes) of those who have already taken the plunge. Whatever your plans, you will find something to help you achieve your goals in Making a Living in Spain – although it may be a bit short on advice for aspiring matadors and budding flamenco dancers!
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Other guides for Spain
Extracts from the book…
Self Employment
Many foreigners come to Spain to escape the daily grind of a nine-to-five job and throw off the millstone of being answerable to a boss. If you want more freedom but still need to make a living, registering as self-employed could be the answer. It means that you can work when you like and for whom you like, whether as a tradesman, in a profession or as a small businessman, operating as a sole trader.
Most importantly, it means that you can start your new venture on a small scale until you see how much demand there is for your services. The disadvantage is that self-employment, especially as a sole trader, carries certain risks and you will have none of the extensive protection that an employed person enjoys. You may also need to work all hours of the day and night to get your business going – and keep it going. So, before you take the plunge,
look carefully at the cost implications in terms of tax and social security and also consider your personal liability if you operate as a selfemployed sole trader.
In Spain, being self-employed is known as working on ‘your own
account’ (cuenta propria) because you are, literally, on your own in the sense that you don’t have the support of an employer, especially when it comes to paying social security contributions! A self- employed person is an ‘autonomous worker’ (trabajador autónomo).
Many people who start small businesses in Spain operate as sole traders and opt for self-employed taxation. This is a good way to begin, especially if you don’t have much capital and aren’t sure how the business will go.
However, you should remember that you won’t have the protection of
a limited liability company if your business fails and you will be personally liable if anyone sues you or your company. If you want to
work this way to begin with, you’d be advised to take out insurance
cover to protect yourself.
Foreigner's Identification Number
You should make it a priority to obtain a foreigner’s identification
number (Número de Identificación de Extranjero/NIE). This is a number that identifies you to the Spanish tax authorities and is necessary for all kinds of transactions and legal procedures in Spain.
It’s possible to obtain an NIE by going to any national police station
and completing an application form. You must present your passport,
proof of residence (which can be your rental contract with your landlord or, if you own a property, the purchase contract) and – inevitably! – lots of passport-size photographs. In areas where there’s significant number of foreign residents, there are often advisers and interpreters at the police station who can help you.
If you don’t feel confident in tackling the process yourself, you can
obtain an NIE with the help of an agent known as a gestor (see page 89), who is a kind of middleman between you and the State and should be able to speed up the process on your behalf. He will know where to go, whom to see and the right queue to stand in to get what you want.
You will be charged for his services, but obtaining an NIE number is a
relatively straightforward process and should cost only around €40.
Depending on whether you use a gestor or not, and how lucky you are, it should take between two and four weeks to obtain an NIE.
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Free PDF Sample
PRICE: £11.95
PUBLICATION: April 2005
EDITION: 1st
PAGES: 324
BINDING: paperback
SIZE: A5 (210mm x 148mm)
COLOUR PHOTOS: 20
