JOB SEARCH VISA

Once your student visa is terminating, and if you will finished the course that you had apply to obtain your student visa, as of now in Spain you have the option to convert your student visa into a working permit.

That is a very good news because that means that after your studies you can continue here gaining more experience by working. That is the so called modification of the student visa to working permit.

In this page we explain more about that option.To convert your studies into work there is mainly one requirement: to have a job offer after you finish your studies. You find a job offer of someone that needs a worker with your skills, you present the application and you get a working permit.

Perfect!That will be the ideal option, however many of you experience and encounter that is hard to find an employer willing to do the whole thing of the job offer as they need to provide documents, talk to a layer, wait for your aproval etc..We have some TIPS to be able to have more chances to convert your studies into working visa.

if your studies visa comes with a working permit already (you will see in your tarjeta "autoriza a trabajar") start working for a job before your studies finish so the company/employer already knows you and when you need to do the whole studies to work permit they will be more interested to do it.

If you can't find a job while you are studying you can also consider doing an internship for the same reason of being known.- Ask the company that you are working or intern if they will be wiling to help you with your modification after the studies finish.

Choose any job. Sometimes people focus on looking for a job on their field and that makes it more complex. Best is to choose any job that you give you the work permit and after that you can change into your field.

Ask friends, family, teachers, etc.. It's easier to give a contract to someone recommended than to someone unkown.

We always tell the student not to give up and try try to find the job offer until the last minute. Remember that you have up to 90 days of your card expiration to be able to present the application so there is penty of time.

However if after all, the time comes and you cant find a job offer then there is a last option which is converting your student visa into the so called job search permit.

What is the job search permit?

The Spain’s job search visa is a residence permit granted to non-EU citizens that allow them to stay in Spain for a maximum period of 24 months, which cannot be extended to give them some time to find a job offer after their studies in their level of completed studies or to embark on a business project..

The purpose of their stay is to search for suitable employment corresponding to their level of completed studies or to embark on a business project.

Who Qualifies for a Job Seeking permit for Spain?

This permit is only for those who have finished the studies in University level. (Degree, Master or Doctorate).

If you have studies other courses (languages for example) it will not be for you.

Requirements

Medical insurance. Private health insurance or public will be accepted.
Medical certificate. If your studies where shorter than 6 months you will be required to provide a doctor certificate that you do not suffer any illness of the stated in the International Health Report 2005. Any clinic can do that for around 50€.
Proof of funds. You will need to have 9.000€ per year to cover your stay while you look for a job. If you have family members with you you will need 7.000€ for the second member and 4.500€ for each additonal member.
Proof of finishing your studies.

When to process the job seaker permit?

We advice always to try to find a job offer first and to use the job seaker visa as a last source and to apply for it on the last days (before the 90 days after your card was expired).

However technically you can process the application from 60 days before your student permit expires up to 90 days after.

Can you work with this permit?

Unfortunatelly no. This permit is only to be able to continue legally in Spain and have time to find a job offer.

Can you travel with this permit?

Yes you will have a normal residence permit so you will be able to travel anywhere.

Can you study with this permit?

Yes you will have a residence permit so while looking for a job you can study.

How long does it take to get the aproval of the job search permit?

Depends upon the foreign office on your province but generally is very quick and takes less than a month.

What is the duration of this permit?

The maximum duration of this permit is 24 months. That means you have 24 months to find a job offer.

How to convert the job search permit into a working permit?

When you finish your studies, to convert into working permit you can find any job that offers you minimum salary in Spain. We even proceeded with house work offer for master graduates and was accepted. However once you are in the job search permit (during the first year) is different (more difficult) and to our opinion the main dissadvantage of this permit because you will need to find a job offer related and in the level of your studies (at least for the first year).

That measn that if you studied a master in HR you will need to find a job that is related to HR and also that job offer needs to come with a salary accorded to your level of studies (higher than the minimum salary).

The proces to convert your permit into working permit is not very hard. You will need to request from company willing to hire you some documents and we will prepare the application and present the documents. The hard part is finding that company.

When can I process to modification of the job seaker visa to working visa?

You can process it anytime. If you get a job offer you can present the modification right away but it will need to be related to your studies.

After one year, if you didn't find a job offer related to your studies, there is another option which that you can apply for a working permit even if the job is not related to your studies but you will need to wait for one year after your job seeker permit is granted.

How long takes the process of converting the job search visa into work permit?

Depends on the foreign office that you are living but generally 3-5 months.

Can I work for the company already once the application is presented?

Unfortunatellt no. You will have to wait for the result to come out before you can start working.

The time that I have a job search permit counts for the spanish nationality?

Yes you are a legal resident so that time counts for your spanish nationality application.

That means for example that if for your country you need 2 years of living in Spain to present your application, if you have 1 year of job search permit and then you convert into work permit, that first year is already counting to be able to apply and you will just need one more year of residency.

What happends if the 2 years has passed and I did not find a job offer?

In that case your residence permit will be over and will either need to leave Spain or look for other permits that you can apply for non legal residence for example arraigo social.

If I already have a job search permit and I can't find a job, are there any other options?

Yes you can also modify your job search permit into any of the following

Residence and Self-Employment

Residency as an Entrepreneur

Residency as a Highly Qualified Professional

What our services include for the job search visa application?

Advising you on the best option for your personal and professional situation.
Prepare the application documents.
Present the applications
Guide you during the process.
Inform you of the result
Prepare your documents and appointment for the finer print to obtain your TIE card.

How to give us your documents?

We present spanish nationality applications all over Spain and our attorneys are national licensed so you can either come to our office to give us your documents and sign the application form or you can send us your documents in whatsapp or by email to info@msmlegalconsulting.es and we will be glad to assist you.

Final thoughts on this permit?

As we mentioned is a good option as a last resource if your student permit time (90 days after expiration) is almost over and you didnt get a any job offer to be able to continue in Spain living legally however it should be taken into consideration that finding a company to be able to change into a working permit it might not be easy but the same tips mentioned above apply.

If you need more information contact us and we will be glad to assist you.

JOB SEARCH VISA

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Requirements

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Medical insurance. Private health insurance or public will be accepted.

Medical certificate. If your studies where shorter than 6 months you will be required to provide a doctor certificate that you do not suffer any illness of the stated in the International Health Report 2005. Any clinic can do that for around 50€.

Proof of funds. You will need to have 9.000€ per year to cover your stay while you look for a job. If you have family members with you you will need 7.000€ for the second member and 4.500€ for each additonal member.

Proof of finishing your studies.

When to process the job seaker permit?

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We advice always to try to find a job offer first and to use the job seaker visa as a last source and to apply for it on the last days (before the 90 days after your card was expired).

​

However technically you can process the application from 60 days before your student permit expires up to 90 days after.

​

Can you work with this permit?

​

Unfortunatelly no. This permit is only to be able to continue legally in Spain and have time to find a job offer.

​

Can you travel with this permit?

​

Yes you will have a normal residence permit so you will be able to travel anywhere.

​

Can you study with this permit?

​

Yes you will have a residence permit so while looking for a job you can study.

​

How long does it take to get the aproval of the job search permit?

​

​

What is the duration of this permit?​

​

The maximum duration of this permit is 24 months. That means you have 24 months to find a job offer.

​

How to convert the job search permit into a working permit?​

​

That measn that if you studied a master in HR you will need to find a job that is related to HR and also that job offer needs to come with a salary accorded to your level of studies (higher than the minimum salary).

The proces to convert your permit into working permit is not very hard. You will need to request from company willing to hire you some documents and we will prepare the application and present the documents. The hard part is finding that company.

​

When can I process to modification of the job seaker visa to working visa?​

You can process it anytime. If you get a job offer you can present the modification right away but it will need to be related to your studies.

After one year, if you didn't find a job offer related to your studies, there is another option which that you can apply for a working permit even if the job is not related to your studies but you will need to wait for one year after your job seeker permit is granted.

​

How long takes the process of converting the job search visa into work permit?

​

Can I work for the company already once the application is presented?​

​

The time that I have a job search permit counts for the spanish nationality?

​

What happends if the 2 years has passed and I did not find a job offer?​

​

If I already have a job search permit and I can't find a job, are there any other options?​

​

Yes you can also modify your job search permit into any of the following

What our services include for the job search visa application?​

​

Advising you on the best option for your personal and professional situation.

Prepare the application documents.

Present the applications

Guide you during the process.

Inform you of the result

Prepare your documents and appointment for the finer print to obtain your TIE card.