Non-EU foreign nationals can obtain a highly skilled professional’s visa for Spain and can then become employees in the country. A company that hires a skilled professional must do so when the foreign national is already legally in Spain, or if he is in his country of residence in which case the visa must be obtained.
Our team of immigration lawyers in Spain can help employers who wish to hire a highly-qualified non-resident submit the application, as required by the Ministry of Labor, Migrations, and Social Security.
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Requirements for the company hiring a highly skilled professional
A highly skilled professional is an individual who has attended a form of higher education training for at least three years and has the necessary qualifications to perform a job with a high level of training. This is also applicable to advanced research programs and it ensures a residence permit in Spain.
The company that is willing to hire a non-EU highly qualified professional must submit an application that will include the following documentation:
- the company details: the tax identification number of the company and the legal representation attestation for when the application is submitted by an individual; when the employer is not a legal entity, there is no need to present the tax ID number.
- details about the project: the business project for which the employee will be hired as well as proof of the resources that will be granted for this purpose.
- the employment contract: this is required in order to show the position for which the highly skilled employee will apply;
- employee details: copies of his identification documents as well as proof of training and higher education qualification.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Applicable law | Highly skilled professional visas are the equivalent of intra-company transfer visas and EU Blue Cards and are regulated to Law 14/2013. |
|
Requirements |
Foreign skilled professionals cannot immigrate to Spain without an employment contract. |
|
Initiation of the procedure |
The immigration procedure is initiated by the Spanish employer. |
| Foreign skilled people qualifying for the visa | People occupying managerial positions, scientists, and other professionals. |
| Addressability |
The Spanish highly skilled professional visa is available for non-EU citizens only. |
| Documents required |
– valid passport, – recent photo, – fee payment receipt, – proof of self-sustenance, – CV, – information about the position to occupy. |
| Time frame to obtain the visa (approx.) |
– approx. 30 days (10 days for the visa, – 20 days for the residence permit). |
| Validity |
The validity of the visa is between 1 and 2 years, depending on the position occupied. |
| Renewal (if available) |
Yes, the Spanish highly skilled professional visa can be renewed for 2 years, provided the initial requirements are still met. |
| Possibility to move to Spain with the family (YES/NO) | Yes. |
| Family members to add on the same application |
– spouse, – minor children. |
| Requirements for the employer (if any) |
The employing company must be any of the following: – a SME, – a large corporation, – a company operating in a strategic sector. |
| Additional approval (if any) |
Yes, the visa must be approved by the Ministry of Labor, Migrations and Social Security. |
| Advantages |
– simplified issuance procedure, – long-term relocation possibility from the beginning, – advantageous employment conditions. |
| Support in applying for a skilled professional visa (YES/NO) | Yes, our immigration lawyers in Spain can help you. |
A company that wishes to hire a third-country national for a position suitable for a highly qualified professional has to be a large company or a corporate group. Alternatively, it has to be a small or medium-sized enterprise in a strategic sector or it needs to develop a business project of general interest. Companies that qualify as SMEs in strategic sectors need to obtain a certificate that states their implication in the selected sectors from the Directorate-General for Trade and Investment.
A company can take advantage of this type of visa regardless of its size or the sector in which it operates when it hires a graduate or a post-graduate from a University or a prestigious business school that is eligible for the highly qualified position. The Ministry of Labor, Migrations and Social Security is the one to oversee public employment in general. Investors who need more information can reach out to our lawyers and Spain immigration specialists.
Registered companies in Spain can benefit from a simplified application procedure for hiring a highly qualified professional.
The company may submit this application via its legal representative and one of our immigration lawyers in Spain can handle this step. We can help prepare the needed documentation, including the files listed above as well as any other documents, as may be required in a specific case. However, this is one of the ways through which Spanish citizenship can be obtained.
Since Spain is an EU member, foreign nationals who move here to work remotely do not need visas. However, non-EU citizens need to enter the program associated with a nomad visa in Spain which comes with specific requirements. These can be explained in detail by our local immigration lawyers, who can also help you apply for it.
Our immigration attorney can provide entirely individualized services and guidance depending on the reason for the migration. Offering assistance with applying for a resident permit in Spain in accordance with one’s reasons for moving is one of our most well-liked services. In order to work, a lot of people who are moving to Spain must first apply.
Spain immigration with a highly skilled professional visa for individuals
Once the company has submitted its part of the application, the foreign national is also required to submit a visa application at the local embassy, consulate or diplomatic mission. This must be done in person and the application is submitted together with:
- identification documents: passport or recognized travel document with a validity period of at least 4 months after the date of the application.
- proof of no criminal record: a certificate that shows that the applicant has no criminal record and thus has not been engaged in any criminal offense, as understood by the Spanish law; this must be issued for the past five years.
- medical certificate: proof that the applicant does not suffer from diseases listed in the International Health Regulations.
- proof of employment: a copy of the employment contract that is to be stamped by the Immigration Office.
Other documents may be required, such as the university degree for graduates or post-graduates from prestigious business schools and, in some cases, other documents for relevant background checks for the applicant. The resume is also required for the application.
The highly skilled professional is required to collect his visa in person and enter Spain within three months after having received the visa. The next step for those professionals interested in emigrating to Spain in this manner is to register with the Social Security System.
The highly skilled professional permit is valid for a period of one year, and it can be renewed.
The intra-company transfer visa in Spain
The Spanish highly qualified visa for foreign workers can also be used for intra-company transfers. It can be used to work in Spain for a branch or other type of business form of a foreign company. There are a few important aspects to consider when filing for this visa for employee relocation:
- the visa can be obtained by several categories of employees only;
- the transfer must be made within the same company (there must be a dependence condition between the foreign company and the Spanish one) or a group of enterprises.
The Spanish highly skilled professional visa can be obtained by:
- senior management members in the parent company
- specialists within the same company;
- trainees.
Staff members will be transferred to Spain to complete various tasks in accordance with the roles within the parent enterprise.
The main advantage of the visa obtained for intra-company transfers is that the transferee can also bring family members with him/her to Spain. Specifically:
- the spouse or civil partner;
- minor and adult unmarried children (in the case of the latter, they must depend financially on the employee);
- other relatives who depend on the transferee.
Our immigration lawyers in Spain can offer detailed information on the highly skilled professional visa for intra-company transfers. Please note that the validity of the visa in this case is one year.
Qualifying conditions for the Spanish employer
To apply for a highly skilled professional visa in Spain, the local company must meet certain conditions:
- it must be part of the same group of company;
- it must operate in a strategic economic sector in Spain;
- it must develop a project that will benefit the community.
Exceptions apply in the case of companies seeking to hire graduate or postgraduate students from renowned universities or business schools.
Our Spanish immigration lawyers can offer more information about what strategic sector or project that benefits the community implies. They can also help you file the documents to apply for the respective visa.
Support offered by our immigration lawyers
Hiring a Spain immigration lawyer can help simplify the application process as the lawyer will be the one to stay in contact with the Spanish authorities and make the necessary changes and additions to the application, as needed. Working with an immigration specialist can shorten the application preparation and submission time and can allow both the employer and the employee to begin their collaboration in the shortest amount of time possible.
The application process for a highly qualified foreign professional visa is not a complicated one, and, as opposed to other types of permits, the company hiring the foreign national is required to handle an important part of the process. The process is a streamlined one in the sense that the visas may be obtained within ten days when all the documents are in order and the residence permits within twenty days, provided that the qualified foreign national has offered all of the mandatory documents.
For some foreign nationals, the highly skilled professional visa is advantageous not only because it allows them to work in Spain in a recognized and well-remunerated position but also because the family members can apply jointly for the residence permit with the purpose of accompanying the main applicant. Alternatively, they can apply successively. Family members are the spouses and the children (minors and financially dependent on the holder of the visa) or the parents who are in charge of the visa holder.
Depending on your requirements, we may assist you in applying for the appropriate type of residence permit in Spain. Following that, we also offer additional services related to post-immigration procedures that will help the foreign citizen integrate here. Among these, we can help in obtaining the foreign identity card, the NIE number, and registering with other authorities.
We can also assist with obtaining citizenship in Spain after one year of residence in Spain if you marry a Spanish national. This is the simplest procedure to acquire a passport. In Spain, the marriage must be recorded with the local authorities in order to be recognized, so that a foreign spouse can obtain citizenship.
Foreign employees in Spain
According to data for 2025:
- in February, there were 2,971,811 foreign contributors paying social security in Spain;
- they represented 13.8% of the total number of contributors registered in the country;
- also, the number of foreign employees working in Spain rose by 7.6%. between February 2024 and February 2025.
We are also at the service of those interested in filing for citizenship in Spain. In addition, if you want to stay here temporarily, the Spanish digital nomad visa can be a great choice.
Contact our team of immigration lawyers in Spain for more information about the highly skilled professionals’ visa and other types of visas and permits.