Find out how to get one of the most favorable work visas if you are a foreigner with higher education and a job offer as a manager or in a technical position in the Spanish territory! In this post you will discover the complete list of requirements you will have to meet, documents to submit, and the step-by-step application process to get the work permit as a highly qualified worker in Spain.
In addition, by the time you finish this article, you will fully understand all the benefits of this residency card, how and when to renew it, and how it differs from the EU blue card.
What is the highly qualified professional visa?
The Highly Qualified Visa or Highly Skilled Professional Visa is a work permit that enables citizens from outside the European Union to live and work in Spain legally, as long as they find a job offer in a Spanish company under a qualified or technical position, or as a manager directing people.
Thus, in this case, there is no single rule that applies in all cases. Depending on how the requirements are fulfilled (which we will explore below), your professional profile may fit in the application for this work residence.
Which are, then, the labor profiles that would be eligible to apply for this work permit as a highly skilled professional?
- Managers and chief officers who manage a relatively large group of people inside a company
- Individuals who work in really technical and specialized job positions (which require prior knowledge and training)
- Non-EU citizens who finished their superior studies in a prestigious business school or university
We are talking about a two-year residency authorization that can be renewed successively until finally achieving permanent or long-term residency.
It is also worth mentioning that this visa is not aimed at freelancers, entrepreneurs or “autónomos”.
Related legislation
The permit as highly qualified is regulated by the law 14/2013, created to support Entrepreneurs and their Internalization in Spain, specifically in article number 71.
Therefore, the main particularity of this permit is that it is not regulated by the general immigration law, so all applications are in charge of the UGE (the Large Company and Strategic Sector Unit in Spain).
Main benefits of this visa
In addition to allowing you to live and work legally in Spain, the highly qualified worker visa also offers other benefits:
- You will be able to move freely within the Schengen Area
- Bring your family to Spain with you through a joint application
- The years under this residency count towards Spanish nationality
- You will be able to work in any region of Spain
- You can get this visa directly from Spain after entering the country as a tourist
- This card is valid in 25 of the 27 EU countries (not valid in Denmark and Ireland).
What is the difference with the EU Blue Card?
Many foreigners tend to confuse the two, but the truth is that they are two different cards.
While it is true that both work permits are aimed at professionals with qualified profiles, the visa as a highly qualified worker only allows you to work in Spain.
But that is not the only difference.
Both residences differ in terms of application requirements (although others are common); mainly regarding the salary requirement.
The EU blue card requires a salary of 1 to 1.5 times the average gross annual salary of the EU country in which you wish to work, while the highly qualified requires a salary of more than 50,000 euros per year.
University or higher qualifications are a common requirement for both authorizations.
Requirements for the work permit as a highly qualified worker
Finding a job offer in Spain is one thing, but being eligible for the highly skilled professional visa is another.
Then, how can you make sure that your concrete situation matches what the Spanish immigration law requires to successfully obtain this residence permit?
Below we will review all the main requirements and professional profiles aligned with what’s established under the Entrepreneur’s Law:
Your studies
First of all, and as how we mentioned before, you should take a look at your profile at the academic level.
One of the main reasons that the Immigration Office declines applications for this kind of visas is because the applicant has not studied in a prestigious university or business school.
Therefore, if you would like to obtain a highly qualified visa, it is completely recommended to have completed a master’s degree or a Ph.D at any university accepted by the UGE or at a popular business school.
In addition, it is essential that the tasks you are going to develop in the company are closely related to those studies.
The company you will be working for
If you have an advanced profile with a master or Ph.D., the next thing to consider would be the company you will be working for, another crucial factor.
Which kind of companies are a perfect fit for this residence permit?
- Large business and corporate groups. There are several factors that determine that your company is considered big enough, and it should just meet one of them. We are talking about factors such as the company having more than 250 employees, that it generates more than 50M € in revenue per year, or that it has net assets valued higher than 43M€. There are other factors such as foreign investment and stock valuation also to be considered.
- You work for a Small or Medium Enterprise (SME), but the company operates on a strategic sector for the country. That is something certified by the Directorate-General for Trade and Investment. Which are the sectors that would roughly fit here? Renewable energies, communication, technologies, water treatment… just to mention a few.
- The project that the company develops must be aligned with the socio-economic interest of Spain. Mainly, this implies that the company generates employment over time and that its activity contributes to the technological and innovative development of the country.
Do you have any doubts so far? Ask anything to our lawyers here and get an instant answer:
The tasks you will be performing at the company
Finally, the last part: your work inside the company. It is not enough that you have a skilled profile or that the company is aligned with the socio-economic development of Spain. Your concrete tasks also matter, and in a deep sense.
There are two main options here.
The first situation is that in which you are going to execute a managerial position in the company operating in Spain. This is, if you are a large corporate employer.
On the other hand, you do not hold a managerial position, but the concrete tasks you perform are regarded as highly skilled. In this case, the job description that you are going to send into the competent authority is really important.
It must clearly state how those specific tasks are regarded as advanced. There is no specific guideline here, but dealing with hundreds of clients worldwide has taught us how to specifically prepare this documentation.
Therefore, if you would like to make sure you successfully obtain your residence permit as a highly-skilled professional after the application, we would really recommend that you let us help with all the required forms.
Your earnings: the salary requirement
If you go through the Immigration Law regarding work permits and highly qualified professionals, you will now find clauses related to the minimum amount of money you should be earning in the country for your application to be successful.
And this is really important.
We have seen many cases in which individuals got their applications rejected just because their salary was not big enough.
How much should you be earning? It depends:
- If you get a job offer as a manager/director, a minimum of 54.000€ per year is required.
- If you are a scientific or intellectual professional, that amount gets reduced to 40.000€ per year.
*You can find here the average salaries for the highly qualified job positions.
Finally, you must take into consideration that the variable part of your salary won’t be considered for the total amount.
However, there are some cases in which your annual salary may be lower than the established if you meet certain requirements, being able to enjoy a 25% reduction coefficient of the legal base to be applied:
- If the application comes from an SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) belonging to a strategic sector that must be accredited by a favorable report from the Directorate General of International Trade and Investment
- That the highly qualified professional application is from a person under 30 years of age.
Only by fulfilling these two previous requirements will you be able to apply for this visa with the criterion of the reduction of the established remuneration base.
Finally, there is also the possibility that your company will pay you part of your salary in kind. In this sense, if your job offer includes part of the salary in kind, it cannot represent more than 30% of your total salary.
You are hired by the university or by the government
Finally, we wanted to address this additional situation, one that does not fit any of the before-mentioned cases.
You do not necessarily need to have a job offer from a company to obtain a highly qualified visa. You can also have an offer by a public institution such as a University or the Government to be eligible too.
If you have a job offer from any of those institutions to conduct research for them, operate as a teacher or a technician, you can also apply for this special type of residency.
Other general requirements for successful application
Presenting the right documentation is not enough. There are certain requirements you will also need to meet:
- You must be over 18 years old.
- This work permit is for non-European Union citizens, as EU nationals do not need to apply for a regular residence permit.
- You will need to present your background check, therefore you cannot have criminal records (neither in Spain neither in any other country). Access a complete guide on how to request this certificate here.
- Having contracted social security insurance that offers full coverage in Spain (whether it is from a public or a private institution) is also mandatory.
- You can’t be residing in Spain in an irregular situation.
Required documents to apply for the highly skilled visa
As with all the residence permits in Spain, there are some documents that are common to any visa and some specific.
In order to apply for the highly qualified work permit you will need to submit the following documents to the immigration office:
- ID photo (passport type).
- Passport (original) and a copy. You should bear in mind that the passport cannot be more than 10 years old.
- Document proving that you have sufficient funds.
- A document certifying that you have paid the required fees.
- A description of the job you are going to develop in Spain. Here is when stating how qualified the job position plays an important role.
- Applicant’s resume (CV).
- It also helps to provide an advanced degree from a prestigious university or prestigious school, if the applicant possesses it.
How to apply for the work permit as a highly-skilled worker step by step
Now you know which is the documentation you will need to present and what requirements you should meet.
The next question is: how to do it? How can I get my work permit in Spain?
First of all, and perhaps the most important thing, you must have a job offer in Spain. Once a company in the country has an interest in you, you can start with the process.
Then, you will need to get a residence visa (a regular residence permit). And you have two options here.
In the one hand, you can apply while residing in Spain, provided that you hold a regular situation in the country. On the other hand, you can also apply while being abroad (in your origin country). In that last case, the application must be summited to the Spanish Consulate of your country. The processing of your application can last up to 10 days.
You will need to submit this application form.
Once obtained, it will grant you the residency for one year. What happens next? How can you still work and live in Spain?
Once that year ends, you can apply for a residence authorization. It takes 20 days of processing, and it will grant you the residency for two years. You can find the document to do the application here.
You can renew this authorization, provided that the original conditions are still met, up to 5 years.
Can your employer apply for this work residency for you?
Yes. If you are in a regular situation in Spain, your employer can initiate the procedure for you.
Where should you apply and submit the required documents?
The Large Business and Strategic Sectors Unit will be the institution in charge of validating that you truly hold a highly skilled job position. This unit is part of the General Direction of Migrations.
Therefore, you will need to submit your resume and job description to them.
If you meet their specific requirements, you will get what is called an “authorization of residence for highly qualified professionals”. That could be then submitted to the Immigration Office to get, finally, your Spanish residency.
Can you include your spouse and children in your application?
As you may know, when you apply for a Spanish residence permit you can do a joint application. This means that the main applicant can also obtain a residence permit in Spain for their family (spouse and children).
In the case of the highly skilled professional visa, both spouse and children must submit the same application as they would if they were family members of an investor, including the same documentation that would be necessary in that case.
How to manage the process if you already have a job and you are simply moving to Spain to work for the same company
Let’s say that you already hold a job position as a highly qualified worker in your country. But the company you work for wants to relocate you to Spain.
In that case, you should apply for the intra-corporate transfer visa. The process and requirements for the application are completely different, as it has its own nuances. Furthermore, it has preferential processing, if you are eligible, you will be able to obtain that residence authorization faster than any other permit.
And that applies both for individuals working on a multinational that are transferred from one country to another (Spain); and individuals who are transferred from another company inside the same group.
Renewal of the highly qualified visa
As we have already mentioned above, this residence authorization is valid for two years.
In this section, we will explore what you should keep in mind in case you want to renew this visa after the end of those 2 years and hence continue living in the Spanish territory.
In this sense, it is important that during the whole validity of your initial authorization you have worked for the same company and fulfilling the same functions that originated the granting of the residency card.
Once the card expires, you must initiate the renewal procedure within 60 days prior or within 90 days after the expiration of the card
However, it is more advisable to renew within 60 days before the card expires, since the Large Business Unit has the power to sanction you if the card expires.
The following are the 2 main requirements you must meet for the renewal:
- Proof of compliance with the requirements that gave rise to the initial authorization. For this purpose, the UGE will check in the SILCON platform the contributions 1 and 2 (contribution base and time contributed to Social Security) to verify that you have effectively received the minimum salary established.
- Provide all the necessary documents that can prove that the employment relationship is maintained and that you are still working for the same company, under the same conditions, with the same salary, with the same functions, and the same position.
What happens if I change the company associated with my card?
Although it is not very common, in some cases the foreigner changes the company she was been working for (but performing a similar position), or the company transitions into a merger or acquisition that generates a new corporation.
What should you do in those cases?
In that case, and if you want to keep your card as highly qualified you must communicate the change to the Large Companies and Strategic Collectives Unit under the terms established in the seventh additional provision of Law 14/2013 of September 27.
But apart from that, if you wish to continue to be the holder of the authorization, you must submit a new application.
This application would grant you a new initial authorization with its full duration (2 years) if the requirements to be considered highly qualified worker continue to be met.
Likewise, a new initial authorization is also requested and issued in the case of a change of company when both companies belong to the same corporate group.
However, in this previous case, the residence authorization would be renewed for the remaining period of time left, provided that an absorption or merger of companies takes place (established in article 44 of the workers’ statute).
From student visa to highly qualified professional work visa
Finally, there is something you must also consider. Because, if you have been studying for one year in Spain with your student visa you can get your work permit as a highly qualified worker.
The requirements in terms of the job position are still the same, but the legal procedure is a bit simpler.
Let us help you obtain this working visa!
After reading this post, you may still have some doubts regarding your particular case. In that case, we will be glad to answer them. You just need to send us an email at info@balcellsgroup.com and we will solve all your doubts as soon as possible!
On the other hand, maybe you need help applying for the highly skilled work permit and/or preparing the documentation in the right way. We can help you!
We have helped over 1000 clients get their residence permit in Spain and that is what we specialize in. Therefore, if you would like to successfully apply for this visa and get it FAST, let us be in charge of everything. We will eliminate all the hassle for you!
I WANT TO GET MY WORK PERMIT AS A HIGHLY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL
Hi,
I am from Egypt and I have a student visa until March 2020. I have just graduated from a prestigious school here in Barcelona studying a Masters degree.
I have been working as an intern and my job is willing to give me a full time contract:It is a multinational company.
I would like to know the price of your services to help me change from a student visa to a working visa with them.
Hi Ahmed,
For sure! One member of our team will contact you providing more information regarding the specific prices for that service.
Kind regards!
I have one question.As of now i am in Spain on highly qualified VISA and I have an offer from another employer .Is it possible to change job on this VISA ??
I would really appreciate for your suggestions.
Even though it is possible, it is not something we would advise. And that is because they usually deny that kind of requests.
Hello!
If am as a tourist in Spain (legally) and I get a job (e.g software engineer job for a big company) Can I stay in the country while the blue card is processed? or I have to return my home country?
Best regards,
Hi Carlo,
For all the visas under the Entrepreneur Law (highly qualified visa included here), you don’t need to leave the country for the application procedure.
Hello, I have work and residence permit as highly qualified specialist. Is it possible to change the employer? Should my new employer provide me with a new work permit? Thank you!
Hi Anna,
You should then start a new application procedure, as your current work permit is linked to the company you are working for.
Kind regards!
Hello ! Very interesting post ! What happens if I have a technical degree (not university) but more than 15 years experience in managerial roles, and all the other criteria is met (big multinational company, salary, etc). Would my visa be accepted ?
Hi Marie,
Having a university degree or masters is a crucial requirement, but if you meet all the other conditions your application may get accepted. Please send us an email at info@balcellsgroup.com so we can help you out write your application and motivational letter, as what you include in those documents would be crucial for a successful application.
Kind regards!
Hello- I am on a HQP visa in Spain (I am non-EU), and have received an offer from another Spanish company. They would need to assume my visa sponsorship. How long does that process normally take? thank you
Hi Daniel,
Take into consideration a total of 30 days for the whole process.
Kind regards!
hello, how long does it takes to get work permit for a NON EU member, who has a job offer in spain under highly skilled catogary. my employer is organizing work permit for me. its already been 4 months, i still haven’t heard from them
Hi Sunitha,
You should have already received a response, as we are talking about a really fast process.
Hello,
I was hired by a big company in Spain last July, they applied for the HQP visa for me last September but it was denied. They presented the documents again for an appeal this time making it more strict to my qualifications and they did not reply after the 20 statutory days of processing. By law of administrative silence, is this considered approved? They already applied for the administrative silence but the problem now is that i dont know the time it would be approved since they still have to get approval for it right? Does it usually take very long for the positive administrative silence? Do you guys have any idea about a range of time it takes to process it in this way? Thanks so much this info would be evry valuable to me, i cant sleep everyday just thinking about it. 🙁
Hi Rio,
Yes, we have several other cases that we won because of this positive silence. However, this “administrative silence” can only be used when applying for the HQP. In other words, in case of appealing the previous rejection, the government does not have 20 working days to answer you.
In your case, I am not sure if your company appealed or they reapplied again. The “positive silence” could only work in the second scenario.
Once you ask for the silencio positivo it can take some weeks more. The person handling your case should ask/push the government office to get the resolution.
Hi! I was just informed by my employer-to-be that my HQP was denied by the government. I am just wondering if my employer can make an appeal now (right after the rejection)? And how long will it take for a decision to be reached after an appeal has been made? Thanks in advance!
Hi Naomi,
Due to the fact that the Government can be really slow in emitting a favorable response, our advice would be to present everything again from the beginning. Otherwise, it will take too long.
I had 9.2 year of experience ad software engineer (Automation Testing expert).How can apply for high skilled visa from India as of no I don’t have job offer fro. Spain.can I apply without job offer.please advice and help….. Thanks
Hi Ganesh!
No, you first need to get a job offer in order to apply for any type of work permit.
Hi there, if I get this HQP visa, can I be eligible for indefinite visa in Spain after some period of time?
Hi!
After 5 years with the hqp visa, you can get the permanent residency, yes.
Hello,
I have received an offer from a Spanish company while I’m here on my 90 day tourist visa from the States. Can I be present, working at the company while we process the proper visa application/work-permit/paperwork or is it illegal to be in the office conducting business? I will be leaving the country in a few months when my tourist visa is up and I just need to know if I can start working as an independent contractor in the meantime.
Hi Dom,
You can initiate the whole application procedure while in Spain with your tourist visa. Furthermore, technically it is not legal to work until you get your work permit.
Great post! As the two-year residency authorization is coming to an end, what documents are required to renew it? And how far in advance can the HQP visa holder submit the application to renew? There is a lot of conflicting information out there about this 🙁
Hi Jack,
90 days before the expiration date. Basically, same documents to renew, including the job contract showing that it’s still valid. If you need us to manage the renewal, do not hesitate to contact us at info@balcellsgroup.com 🙂
I am a full US citizen working in Spain on an HSP visa. I plan to leave my company and move back to the US sometime after it expires. Am I allowed to remain in Spain/Schengen zone for 90 days after the expiration? In other words – do I essentially become a “tourist” after it expires?
yes, that is correct!
Hi,
1 year 9 months before, I came here with a Highly Skilled Professional Work Permit. While I was working, I started my Executive MBA from a worldwide reputation Business school in Spain. The EMBA will complete in June 2020.
Now, I am leaving my company. I have not found any new job. Is there any way to get a Highly Skilled Professional Work Permit without a job?
If not, can I apply for a regular work visa?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Warm Regards
Hi Edi,
No, you always need a job offer in order to get any type of working visa.
If you want to now transition into a regular work permit, you need to go back to your country of origin and start the application procedure from 0.
We can help you with that! 🙂
I have a work visa for Spain and my NIE says
INICIAL ALTAMENTE CUALIFICADO
AUTURIZA A TRABAJAR.
My wife´s NIE says
INICIAL ALTAMENTE CUALIFICADO
AMBITO NACIONAL
DEPENDE DE (MY NIE No.)
AUTURIZA A TRABAJAR.
can she work in Spain in any company, or does she need to do some other documentation?
Hi!
As you can see on her card, it says “autoriza a trabajar”, which means she can work at any company.
Hope we have solved your doubts!
Thank you!!!
Hi, i hold a hqp visa. After completion of 5 years can i apply for permanent residence myself or company should do it. And with permanent residence can i move and work for other companies outside spain.
Hi Jeeva, yes you will be able to get the permanent residency yourself. But you won’t be able to move to any other country.
Hi, I found a job in Spain and have a NIE which says ‘INICIAL ALTAMENTE CUALIFICADO’. But I did not pass the probation period of 6 months. Is it possible to look for another job in Spain since my NIE is valid until 2021. Also, do I have to keep in mind any salary requirements?
Hi!
You must bear in mind that any type of work permit is associated with a specific company. Therefore, if you want to change company, you need to re-apply for your work permit. The NIE is just your identification number, which will always be the same (and it does not allow you to work, it’s just a number). If you have any other doubt, do not hesitate to contact us!
Hi,
Thank you for the valuable information.
By the way, I have got a job offer from Spain and the employer is yet to start processing my work permit. I have just received the offer and waiting for next steps.
I have to take decision of resignation from my current company which has notice period of 90 days. May I know how long it takes to get the Visa all together.
Should I keep any timeframe in mind before resigning.
By law, the Spanish authorities have 20 working days to answer all the HQP applications. So, it is about 1 month to get the resolution. Afterwards, in case you are out of the country, you should ask for the visa at your closest consulate. So, it will take longer to enter Spain.
Hi,
I am Gulshan Dhir origin from india but working in Sudan since 2008 with United Nations and get all VISA (US/CANADA and Schengen Visa type of C form Spain Embassy for 2 Years.
Please advise if i can get Temp Residence for Spain as highly skilled with more than ! lac USD in funds.
You can apply as an HQP as long as you can prove that you have a job offer in Spain. The minimum salary request is around 45.000 gross per year, and the company must be based in Spain.
hi,
My employer already applied for the HQP visa for me last two months ago and it got denied. They made a reapplication for an appeal and now 20 days have passed. Is it now approved because of the administrative silence?
We still have not heard anything from the Spanish government. But according to law it should automatically be approved right? Would u guys have any idea how much time it takes for the approval if its the administrative silence after 20 days?
Thanks for this valuable info!
First of all, did your company reapply or did they do an appeal? This is completely different and the timings are different as well.
In case the application was applied again, the period is 20 working days to get the resolution. So, if you applied earlier than 20 workings days, you can ask through the administrative silence for HQP.
In case of appealing, it can take some months.
One year before, while my Company ( Big Multinational) applied for my Highly Skilled Labor (HSL) visa for the first time, the consulate asked for the more financial details, as my salary( around 25K Euro) wasn´t sufficient for the HSL visa. So we have submitted additional documents like bank balance, letter from parents for financial support. Later, as we didn’t get feedback for long time, we submitted for positive administrative silence and I got my HSL visa for 2 years.
Now, my HSL Visa is going to end in 4 months. I am feeling that it will be difficult to get the renewal. Could you please tell me how it will be the minimum salary required for the approval/renewal of the visa.
And can I change to different companies while applying to renewal .?
The best option is to modify the HQP visa into the ordinary work permit. You should do it before the expiration date of your card. Otherwise, it will be very complicated that you can renew the visa as HQP. If you need help send us an email at info@balcellsgroup.com for more details!
Hi, I have a question regarding the HQP permit renewal. I arrived in Spain three years ago (Aug 2017) on the HQP visa. During the first term, the permit was valid for two years. In 2019, I renewed it for the first time and now it is valid for another two years till Aug 2021. So when I renew the permit after Aug 2021 for the second time, will it still be another 2 years or just one year so to reach the five-year residence requirement for the permanent residency? Thank you very much!
The second renewal will only be for 1 year. After completing the 5 years in Spain you can ask for the long-term visa.