Spain Working Holiday Visa

For this visa, you have to apply for a foreign identity number (NIE), before initiating your application. You must apply at the corresponding Spanish embassy or consulate in your country of residence.

It might take you around three weeks to obtain a NIE certificate, and you must have your passport with you when applying for your NIE. Afterwards, when your request is processed, you can go ahead with the rest of your application.

You must fill out a national D visa application form, which you can find on the website of a Spanish embassy/consulate in your country. You can search for the embassy/consulate here.

Make sure to fill out the entire application form, and that your information is accurate and up to date— do not forget to sign it.

To submit your application, you must first schedule an appointment with a Spanish representative office in your country, which is most likely an embassy or consulate.

Depending on which country you’re from, you must schedule an appointment with one of the following:

• For Canadian Citizens:
  • Embassy of Spain in Ottawa (includes the Canadian national capital region; Ottawa, and Gatineau).
  • Consulate General of Spain in Toronto (includes the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut.
  • Consulate General of Spain in Montreal (includes the provinces of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Newfoundland, and Labrador).
• For Australian Citizens:
  • Embassy of Spain in Canberra (includes Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Queanbeyan).
  • Consulate General of Spain in Sydney (includes New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu).
  • Consulate General of Melbourne (includes Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and Western Australia)
• For New Zealand Citizens:
  • Embassy of Spain in Wellington
• For Japanese Citizens:
  • Embassy of Spain in Tokyo
• For South Korean Citizens:
  • Embassy of Spain in Seoul

Here are the documents you need for your working holiday visa application:

• Your valid passport.
• Visa application form.
• Proof of paid return flight ticket or enough financial means to purchase the ticket.
• Proof of travel health insurance.
• Proof of paid visa fee.
• Your NIE certificate.
• Proof of financial means to stay in the country, at least EUR 1500 for the first three months or EUR 500 monthly.
• For stays longer than six months, submit the following:
• • A medical certificate issued by your family doctor.
  • A clear criminal certificate (certified with a Hague Apostille).
• For applicants who have an offer of employment:
  • A pre-arranged contract of employment.
  • The company’s NIF (Tax Identification Number).
  • Qualifications and credentials.
  • A letter of acceptance from the institution where volunteer work is happening.
• For applicants following a training or study program:
  • Proof of registration and acceptance by a Spanish institution.

On the day of your visa appointment, you have to submit your application in person, and you may be asked to sit down for a brief interview and answer questions about your visit to Spain.

After you complete the submission, your application will be reviewed, and once finished processing, you will be notified of the final decision. If your visa is approved, you will be given instructions on how and where to pick up your passport along with your visa. Then, you’re free to enter the country.

Once you arrive in Spain, you can apply for your foreigner’s residence card (TIE), although with a working holiday visa, it’s not a mandatory requirement, but it can help you in many ways. For example, it makes it easier for you to open a bank account, apply for jobs, register with local services, sign rental agreements, and show legal residency when traveling within the Schengen area.

To apply for a TIE, you’ll need to make an appointment at the nearest immigration office (Oficina de Extranjería), a list of which you can find here, and present your visa, passport, and other supporting documents.

You can do any jobs that are part-time, seasonal, or include roles in hospitality, such as working in bars or restaurants, tourism (tour guides, hotel staff), agriculture (harvest work), retail (shops, markets), or teaching English.

You cannot work for longer than six months, and you’re allowed to work between 20 to 25 hours per week, unless otherwise specified.

Yes, in fact, you are not allowed to work for longer than three months for the same employer. So, make sure you switch your jobs often; this way, you get to experience different opportunities and travel more often in the country.

No, a Spain working holiday visa is not renewable, and you can apply for the visa once.

That being said, some countries may have a different agreement with Spain, such as Canada, which allows Canadian citizens to apply for the working holiday visa another year.

Yes, you can work in any city within Spain as long as you get a legitimate job opportunity.

You can find employment through different platforms, for example:

• Through local job boards, hospitality and tourism websites, or by walking into businesses in popular cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, or Valencia.
• Websites like InfoJobs, Turijobs, Jobandtalent, and Indeed Spain are also great starting points, especially before traveling to the country.
• Platforms like Workaway or Worldpackers help you find seasonal or exchange work options.
• TEFL job sites or local language schools can help you find English-speaking roles.

Another great, but maybe surprising option to find jobs it to join a Facebook group for expats. Online communities are a great opportunity to find job leads and network with other people who have similar experiences.

Yes, you must have health insurance while you’re in Spain with a working holiday visa. Unfortunately, you will most likely not be eligible for public health insurance, so you must look into private insurance options.

A great option for you would be Adeslas, who offer insurance specifically to foreigners residing in Spain.