Job-search visa: looking for work in Spain
The job-search visa (visado de búsqueda de empleo) lets the holder come to Spain and look for work. Under the 2025 immigration regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024, in force since 20 May 2025), its duration was extended from three months to twelve. It is a narrow route, though: for most people without Spanish ancestry or a qualifying occupation it may not currently be open, and we check that honestly before you spend anything on documents.
This route suits
- Children or grandchildren of a Spaniard of origin who want to settle and find work in Spain
- People in occupations or territorial areas the authorities have opened to job-search visas
- Graduates finishing a university degree, master’s, doctorate or higher vocational training in Spain
- People who want a structured year to find an employer before committing to a work authorisation
It’s not designed for
- Most people with no Spanish ancestry and no qualifying occupation — the route may simply not be open to them at present
- Anyone who already has a job offer from a Spanish employer — the work authorisation route is more direct
- Remote workers for foreign employers or clients, who should look at the digital nomad route
Key requirements
A qualifying profile
Being a child or grandchild of a Spaniard of origin, or falling within the occupations or territorial areas set by the authorities. Those occupations and quotas are announced periodically, and availability can be limited or closed at any given time.
Graduates in Spain
People who complete higher-level studies in Spain — university degree, master’s, doctorate or higher vocational training — have a route to stay and look for work, or move to a work authorisation, without leaving Spain. Timing and conditions are specific, so this is planned before the studies end.
Means of support
Evidence that you can support yourself while you look for work. The reference is usually expressed as a percentage of the IPREM, which is updated, so we confirm the current figure at consultation.
Health insurance
Public or private health cover valid in Spain for the duration of the stay. Many consulates expect full cover without co-payments or waiting periods.
Criminal-record certificate
Typically required from the countries where you have lived in recent years, apostilled and with a sworn translation where needed. Requirements can vary by consulate.
Proof of ancestry or occupation
Spanish birth certificates for the parent or grandparent of origin, or evidence of your qualifications and experience in the relevant occupation.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; we confirm your situation in a consultation.
Last reviewed: Legal basis: RD 1155/2024
How the process works
Honest eligibility check
We confirm whether you fall within a qualifying category and whether the route is currently open for your profile. If it isn’t, we tell you and look at the alternatives.
Document plan
You receive a checklist for your consulate, including ancestry records or occupational evidence, means, insurance and certificates.
Application
The application is filed at the consulate or, for graduates in Spain, through the relevant channel here. Where a filing legally requires a colegiado professional, it is submitted by our named partner (abogado or gestor administrativo colegiado).
Arrival and job search
After arrival we coordinate TIE, padrón and the other first steps, so your time can go on finding work.
From job offer to authorisation
Once you find a job, the employer-side work authorisation follows. We coordinate your documents with the employer so the change of status runs smoothly.
After approval
The job-search visa gives you up to twelve months to find work. It is a bridge, not an end point: once an employer offers you a job, the work authorisation is requested and, if granted, you move to residence and work. If the year ends without an offer, the visa does not convert on its own, so we review your options well before it expires.
Why files get refused or delayed
- Assuming the route is open to everyone — it depends on ancestry, occupation or Spanish studies, and quotas change
- Spanish civil records for the parent or grandparent that are missing, inconsistent or not certified
- Means of support not documented in the form the consulate requires
- Health insurance with co-payments, waiting periods or limited cover
- Certificates too old for the consulate’s validity window, or without an apostille
- Leaving the move to a work authorisation until the last weeks of the visa
Frequently asked questions
Is there a job-seeker visa for Spain?
Yes, but it is narrow. It is available to children or grandchildren of a Spaniard of origin, to people in occupations or areas the authorities open periodically, and in specific ways to graduates of Spanish higher education. For many people it is not currently an option, and we check that first.
How long does the Spanish job-search visa last?
Since the 2025 immigration regulation came into force on 20 May 2025, the job-search visa lasts up to twelve months, up from three. It lets you look for work; once you find a job, the employer-side work authorisation follows.
I studied in Spain. Can I stay to look for work?
Graduates who complete a university degree, master’s, doctorate or higher vocational training in Spain have a route to stay and look for work, or move to a work authorisation, without leaving Spain. Conditions and timing apply, so plan it before your studies end.
My grandfather was Spanish. Does that help?
It can. Children and grandchildren of a Spaniard of origin are one of the groups who can apply for the job-search visa. You will need certified Spanish civil records for the relevant ancestor, and it may also be worth checking whether you have a claim to Spanish nationality.
Can I work while on a job-search visa?
The visa is for looking for work. Once you have a job offer, the work authorisation must be requested before you start working. We coordinate that step with your employer.
Turn this into a plan
The route finder takes two minutes. A consultation turns it into a plan.