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WORKING IN SPAIN

Workers in Spain earn 20 percent less than EU average

Despite being one of the largest economies in Europe, Spain may not be a good place to work for those looking to be well compensated as figures reveal workers earn a lot less than some of their European neighbours.

Published: 10 August 2022 16:27 CEST
atm in Spain
Spaniards earn 20 percent less than the EU average. Photo: Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke / Pixabay

People working in Spain earn, on average, €1,751 per month. This is 20 percent less or €443 less than the EU average of €2,194, according to human resource giant Adecco and their monitor on wages, published Tuesday.

Life in Spain is getting more and more expensive due to soaring inflation and rising energy costs, but despite having the highest average salary in history, people in Spain can’t afford as much as they did 13 years ago, due to diminishing purchasing power.

Within the EU, Adecco reported that 15 countries have wages lower than Spain, and 11 have higher. 

Nine European countries have average salaries above €2,500 per month, while in Spain the average salary does not even reach €2,000. This is the case in Finland (€2,603), Sweden (€2,623), Austria (€2,788), Belgium (€2,830), the Netherlands (€2,883), Ireland (€2,920), Germany (€3,003), Denmark (€3,458 ) and Luxembourg (€3,502).

In Germany for example, employees earn on average 42 percent more than in Spain, meaning that workers in Spain would have to work 20 months, almost two years, to be able to earn the same as a German.

There is more than €1,250 difference between what those in Germany are paid and what those in Spain are paid.

On the other hand, there are several EU countries with salaries less than in Spain. Those with average salaries of €1,100 are mostly found in Eastern Europe, with Bulgaria being the EU country with the lowest remuneration of just €562 per month.

This is followed by Romania (€718), Hungary (€798), Poland (€833), Croatia (€863), Latvia (€892), Slovakia (€977), Lithuania (€1,007), Greece (€1,034), Estonia (€1,053) and the Czech Republic (€1,078).

Spain forms part of the middle group that earn more than €1,100 per month but less than €2,500 per month. Those EU countries with salaries similar to Spain include Portugal (€1,106), Cyprus (€1,309), Malta (€1,329), Slovenia (€1,417), Italy (€2,074) and France (€2,446). However, there are of course wide gaps between these countries too.  

Compared to its nearest neighbours, Spanish workers earn 58 percent more than those in Portugal or €645 more per month, but 28.4 percent less than those in France or €695 less each month. 

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WORKING IN SPAIN

Can you work outside of Spain on the non-lucrative visa?

The non-lucrative visa is a popular choice for non-EU citizens who want to come and live in Spain, but there’s long been confusion over whether or not you can work outside of the country or not while you’re on it.

Published: 19 September 2024 10:24 CEST
Can you work outside of Spain on the non-lucrative visa?

The non-lucrative visa or NLV as it is often referred to, is a residency authorisation that allows non-EU foreigners to live in Spain.

As the name suggests, however, it’s non-lucrative, so it doesn’t give you the right to work here, instead you have to demonstrate that you have sufficient savings for yourself, as well as any family members you’re bringing with you. 

Many people claim that if you’re not actually working in Spain while on the visa, and if you’re work comes from abroad then it’s fine, but is it actually legal?

Online searches reveal many conflicting results with several sources saying you absolutely cannot work on the visa at all under any circumstances and others saying that you can and authorities simply turn a blind eye.

It used to be a big grey area because Spanish law didn’t specifically mention remote working. Spain’s General Immigration Regime stated that, while staying on the NLV:

  • You mustn’t work for a Spanish company
  • You mustn’t work for a Spanish employer
  • You can’t open your own business in Spain
  • Nor can you open a branch office in Spain

In terms of remote working specifically, the law did’t actually address it.

READ ALSO: Does Spain check if you’re working on the non-lucrative visa?

But, authorities seemed to suggest that you couldn’t work on it at all, under any capacity, due to their rulings and decision making.

According to Barcelona-based law firm Balcells: “During the pandemic (from 2020 onward), the vast majority of consulates started to reject applications from foreigners who clearly stated they wanted to start working remotely”.

“Or if the consulate sees that remote work is what you have been doing for the past months/years, your application may even get rejected too”.

In 2023, a Madrid court denied a Venezuelan national’s application for the non-lucrative visa because they continued to advertise their professional services on sites like LinkedIn.

These all support the fact that working, even remotely for another country is not allowed.

The amount of savings you have to prove for the non-lucrative visa in 2024 is €2,400 per month, which must come from passive income such as return on investments and rental income, rather than physically working.

READ ALSO: Non-lucrative vs digital nomad visa: Which one should you choose to move to Spain?

There is now even stronger legal evidence to support the theory that you can’t work remotely while on the NLV, with the introduction of Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa or DNV in early 2023.

The whole point of the DNV is to allow non-EU remote workers and freelancers to be able to live and work in Spain, so it would defeat the entire purpose of this visa if you were allowed to work remotely on the NLV.

The DNV in fact has many requisites to ensure the way in which remote workers can legally work here. For example, they have to have worked for the same employer for three months or more and any company they work for has to have been in existence for more than one year.

To apply for the DNV in 2024 you have to prove a monthly income of at least €2,646. While this is slightly more than the NLV, it does mean that you can continue working. 

READ ALSO: Does Spain accept savings for the digital nomad visa if earnings aren’t enough?

Many remote workers may have used the NLV option in the past, but today there is no excuse, you may as well just apply for the DNV instead.

As authorities are cracking down on NLV applications, it’s simply not worth the risk having your application denied if you plan to continuing working. If you’re found out and are not declaring your income properly too, you could end up with a hefty fine and be unable to renew your visa in the future. 

Therefore, if you want to work remotely for company outside of Spain, it’s best to forget the NLV and go straight for the DNV, which will ensure what you’re doing is truly legal.

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