| div id="body"> | | | | themselves. |
| Of course, not everyone moving to Spain is retired. | | | | Unhappily, one of the most reliable ways of making an |
| Whilst this may be true of the majority of people, there | | | | income was through holiday rentals and B&Bs. |
| are still many who come to work in Spain as 'part and | | | | However, even this type of business has also taken a |
| parcel' of their permanent relocation. It is equally true to | | | | 'hit', if it has depended upon the British marketplace - |
| say that quite a few people with pensions find that | | | | once again weakened by the fall in Sterling. This has |
| they have to work (albeit often part time) to subsidise | | | | made holiday making in Spain some 30% more |
| their incomes. This has been particularly the case since | | | | expensive for the British than it was a couple of years |
| the huge drop in the value of Sterling against the Euro | | | | ago. Of course, Euro travellers have not been |
| over the past couple of years. | | | | affected which means that those clever enough to |
| So, what is it like working in Spain and what | | | | re-target their marketing have suffered less. |
| opportunities exist? | | | | Finally, property maintenance of villas in Spain (both for |
| Firstly (and obviously), you can, as a right, work in Spain | | | | elderly permanent foreign owners and those Britons |
| if you are an EU citizen - although you must to be | | | | owning second homes in Spain) has remained fairly |
| properly registered and pay tax or make a tax return | | | | constant. However, as can be imagined, the |
| to the Spanish authorities. It is best to do this by using a | | | | competition for looking after villas in Spain (and the |
| Gestor who will advise you on your options (as an | | | | accompanying minor repair jobs) has become fierce |
| employee or self-employed person etc.). He will also | | | | and has affected what can be earned. |
| be able to help you with all the necessary paperwork. | | | | From all of this, you may draw the conclusion that |
| As to the opportunities that exist to work in Spain - | | | | working in Spain is impossible! This is not true - although |
| these depend upon your own skills and also the | | | | at the moment (recessions do not last for ever!), it is |
| condition of the economy at the time. To state the | | | | certainly difficult. The secret, of course, is to either |
| obvious, the Spanish economy now (January 2009) is | | | | make sure that you secure a job before you come |
| in a terrible state with unemployment around 19% | | | | over or you have a specialist skill - or the ability to |
| (according to Spanish government figures). This means | | | | enter a particular market that is not currently being fully |
| that non-specialised work in Spain is hard to find. This is | | | | exploited. |
| particularly true if the work in Spain you seek in any | | | | Equally, moving to Spain can be a clever thing to do if |
| way competes with the Spanish themselves - or with | | | | you are able to make an income on the internet |
| existing cheap rate immigrant labour from the new EU | | | | through e-commerce. Obviously, so long as you have |
| countries or the Third World. | | | | a an ADSL connection then you can work in Spain |
| Traditionally British people moving to Spain with the | | | | without having to worry about the conventional |
| intention of working in Spain have tended to gravitate | | | | marketplace. The cautionary warning to this, however, |
| into one of five sectors: | | | | is that you must not take an ADSL connection for |
| 1. Bars and bar work. | | | | granted. Indeed, in rural areas some types of Spanish |
| 2. Construction. | | | | property lack land line telephones and are unlikely (for |
| 3. Estate agency. | | | | the forseeable future) to gain them! So, be very |
| 4. B&B or holiday apartment rentals. | | | | careful about where you move to Spain - to ensure |
| 5. Property maintenance of villas in Spain | | | | that the communications you need are good enough |
| At the moment, all of the above are suffering terribly | | | | for any internet work. |
| from the current recession. The construction industry | | | | Certainly, the possibilities for working in Spain are not |
| has largely collapsed and, along with it, sufficient | | | | something that you should treat lightly. If you want to |
| Spanish property sales to make earning an income, as | | | | move to Spain then do not underestimate the |
| an estate agent, in any way easy. Certainly, sales of | | | | conventional Spanish market where there is a lot of |
| both villas in Spain and apartments have dropped | | | | competition, not least from the Spanish themselves - |
| radically over the past couple of years. | | | | and they are not short of modern skills! Equally, |
| Meanwhile, bars are tending to show significant | | | | appreciate that (unless you intend working only with |
| decreases in income because of the fall in the | | | | English speakers) you will need good Spanish to have |
| purchase power of Sterling (within British areas) and | | | | much chance of competing with a native Spaniard if |
| the drop in disposable wealth amongst the Spanish | | | | the skills of both of you are similar. |