As we discussed in this other post, there are quite a few types of work permits in Spain depending on the situation of the foreign worker.

For now we will focus on a special type of permit, the one for “Highly Qualified Professionals“.

This migratory legal figure is included in Law 14/2013, of 27 September, for supporting entrepreneurs and their internationalization, a law that seeks to attract foreign (non-European) talent and improve the Spanish economy.

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What is the Skilled Worker Visa?

It is a residence permit that is granted to foreigners from outside the European Union who want to start working in a technical position that requires previous work experience in the same sector. It allows them to live and work legally in Spain.

The initial residence authorization is for two years, but it can be renewed successively until obtaining permanent residence or a long-term residence permit.

One of the keys to this authorization for highly qualified workers is that the work activity to be carried out in Spain requires higher education or, alternatively, extensive comparable professional experience. For this reason, it is usually the most suitable permit for positions that require very specific training.

The application for this highly qualified professionals visa must be carried out by the contracting company.

Various scenarios will have to be taken into account regarding the general requirements:

  • The studies that the worker has. When approving this permit, whether or not the person has a degree, a master’s degree, or a doctorate is taken into account.
  • The tasks that are carried out on a daily basis: in general, they will have to be in accordance with the training and similar to those that were done previously.
  • The annual salary that the worker will have.
  • The type of company they will be working for.

Here we explain these requirements in more detail: Work Permit Requirements for Highly Qualified Professionals.

Highly skilled jobs | Examples

In general, the job profiles required to successfully apply for the highly qualified professional work permit are:

  • Directors or managers who have staff under them.
  • Workers who carry out their tasks in technical and specialized positions. They usually require very advanced knowledge of their subject.

* This permit is for people from outside the European Union. Nationals of an EU country cannot apply for this authorization.

Application for permits for Highly Qualified Professionals

The institution in charge of managing applications for these permits is the Large Companies Unit (UGE) and not the immigration office of each province.

The UGE will be in charge of validating that the job really is considered to be highly skilled.

The work permit for Highly Qualified Professionals has many advantages. Among others, the application can be made directly from Spain and even offers the possibility of the worker bringing their family with them, and for the spouse to be able to work in Spain without the need to carry out any other procedures.

Are you a graduate with a job offer in Spain? Adlanter can help you carry out all procedures to successfully obtain your skilled worker visa in an agile and simple way.

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