Spain Eases Work Permit Requirements for Foreigners
The new measures, which aim to reduce work permit requirements for foreign nationals residing in Spain, started applying on July 27, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.
The Spanish authorities announced that in line with the new rules, foreigners would be able to obtain a work visa more easily through a more streamlined process as the decree reduces work permit application requirements for certain applicants.
The new changes have been made in order to reduce the labour market shortages that the country is currently dealing with.
According to Corporate Immigration Partners, the newly introduced reform measures will also apply to foreigners who do not hold the necessary legal documents to live in Spain.
“The update will reduce work permit requirements for foreign national workers who currently reside in Spain. These measures will also apply to foreign nationals who now do not hold the necessary legal documents to live in Spain,” the statement of Corporate Immigration Partners reads.
The same explains that as a result of the reform, foreign nationals who have lived in Spain, legally or without documentation, for two or more years and who have worked for at least six months during that time will be allowed to enrol in training courses.
These training courses will be mainly for jobs in the high-demand economic sector throughout Spain. Foreigners who enrol in these training courses can then apply for permanent residency.
In addition to the above-mentioned, simpler work permit requirements will apply to students too. Students from countries that are not part of the European Union will be able to work up to 30 hours per week while studying in Spain.
Moreover, they will also be permitted to begin working in Spain immediately after they finish their studies. Before this new rule was introduced, students had to wait for a period of three years.
The Spanish government is now expected to publish a list of high-demand jobs that will be open to foreign nationals.
The new measures will mainly help to fill the vacancies in sectors that are currently understaffed, such as agriculture, farming, and the hospitality industry.
It is expected that with the introduction of the new rules, about 500,000 undocumented workers will be able to join the official labour force in Spain. Additionally, foreigners will also help to regulate job sectors in need of workers and pay taxes and contributions.
