If you plan to relocate to Spain for work from Nigeria, you will need to apply for a Spanish work visa.
This guide will cover the work visa requirements and application processes to live and work in Spain.
Spain is a country on Europe’s Iberian Peninsula. Its capital city is Madrid. The Spanish language is the world’s second-most widely spoken native language. The country has more tourists than the number of people living there due to the number of islands, restaurants and UNESCO world heritage sites in the country. As of 2021, the average annual salary was 26,939 Euros.
For non-EU/EEA nationals: There are two types of visas that you can apply for when you are already in Spain. These two visas fall under the entrepreneur law: the European Blue Card (visa for high-skilled workers), or the entrepreneur visa, if you want to start your own company (por cuenta propia). For regular work permits for freelancers (autónomo) or work for an employer (por cuenta ajena), you will need to start the application process from your country of origin.
Freelancers from Nigeria, that is, Non-EU/EFTA citizens, will first need to apply for a visa to enter Spain, then get a residence permit to stay in the country long-term, and finally, a self-employed work permit that allows them to work as a freelancer. The details can be found here.
Requirements and application forms: To apply for a work permit, you need to visit the website. The application also requires copies of the following documents:
- copy of your passport;
- criminal record;
- medical certificate;
- three passport-sized photographs;
- your NIE (if you are already in the country);
- your employer’s social security number;
- job offer with the labour conditions;
- full description of the job and the company’s activity;
- proof of your employer’s financial assets (if needed)
Spain Work Permit Types
- Type A work permit is for seasonal and limited work, with a maximum duration of nine months, including renewals.
- Type B initial work permit allows you to work in Spain, in a specific occupation and geographical area, for a maximum period of one year.
- Type B renewed work permit is a renewal of the initial work permit, extending it to a maximum of two years. You can also carry out various professional activities with this permit.
- Type C work permit is a renewal of the type B permit and allows you to carry out any activity in the country.
- Permanent work permits have an unlimited duration, but you still have to renew them every five years. You can apply for this visa after your type C expires.
- Other types of permits, such as the extraordinary permit (when a non-EU citizen has helped the Spanish economic and cultural progress), or a type F permit (for working at the Spanish borders, provided the worker returns daily to their own country).
High-skilled worker visa: If you are a highly skilled worker, you can apply for a European Blue Card, the equivalent of a Green Card in the United States. This work and residence visa allows highly skilled non-EU workers to live and work in any European country, with the exception of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
The eligibility for this type of work permit depends fully on your professional qualifications. According to the Spanish Ministry for immigration, a high-skilled worker is:
- the manager of highly qualified staff of large businesses, corporate groups, or Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in strategic sectors;
- the manager of highly qualified staff of business projects in the general interest;
- a graduate or postgraduate from a university or prestigious business school.
Notable Spanish companies: Here are some notable companies of Spanish origin that may be hiring and could sponsor work visas:
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