What is the minimum salary that a foreigner who wants to apply for a work permit as a highly qualified professional must earn in order to get her application accepted?
As you may already know, one of the most important requirements to successfully apply for this work permit under the Entrepreneurs Law is the salary. That is, how much you earn per year.
Thus, reaching a minimum will be fundamental in order to obtain a favorable resolution.
In this article you will find the updated minimum salary for this year, which depends on your occupation group, and that could be lower than the general amount if you meet one of two possible requirements we will see.
The importance of the salary for this visa
The permit as a highly qualified worker is one of the most demanded residences by qualified foreigners from all over the world who receive an offer to work in the Spanish territory.
We are talking about a residency under the Entrepreneur’s Law, and that makes it have a series of very particular requirements.
The most important (and on which the salary depends), is the fact that this visa is designed for professionals with a high level of qualification and technical skills/knowledge. We are talking about personnel who manage or lead teams, or who hold technical positions.
Thus, as logical, a high qualification requires a high business position, and that means a salary that is aligned with that fact.
This salary is key for the UGE, the institution that handles these applications in Madrid, to finally accept the application.
Although in the past this institution was more flexible, today it is essential to reach the exact minimum (that we will now see) meticulously.
That is because the Large Companies Unit has been tightening these requirements over the years, and currently initiating applications with salaries below €40,000 per year is doomed to failure.
Exact figures: salary requirements for highly qualified professionals
As we have mentioned, the job offer that the foreigner receives must be of a minimum salary that will be strictly reviewed by the UGE.
If this minimum is not met, this institution will consider that the professional is not really highly qualified, and therefore will reject the application directly.
What exact amount are we talking about?
The required salary depends on the group within the national occupation code that appears in the Social Security. Thus, there are two options:
- Number 1, for executive or managerial workers – Minimum average annual salary of €54,142
- Number 2, for technicians and scientific and intellectual professionals – Average annual salary of at least 40,077 €
Exception: 0.75% reduction
However, there are two different situations in which the required salary could be lower. It is possible to apply a reduction of 0.75% in the following cases:
- The application for this residence permit is made by an SME that is part of a strategic sector. That is to say, the worker will start working in a company with these characteristics
- The worker applying for the visa is a young professional under 30 years of age
Does the variable part count?
In many cases, the composition of the employee’s salary is divided into a fixed part and a variable part (i.e. the extra part that depends on whether the objectives set are achieved).
It is important to bear in mind that, for the application, only the fixed part of the salary offer will be taken into account, and not the variable part.
In addition, and in order to comply with the 100% contract-salary requirements, bear in mind that if the company pays part of your salary in kind, this cannot exceed 30% of the total salary.
Now you know the exact figure requirement as a highly qualified professional. If you still have any doubts, or would like our team of lawyers to handle the whole application for you, do not hesitate to contact us.
Book a consultation with one of our lawyers and solve all your doubts:
At Balcells Group we have been foreigners effortlessly moving to Spain for over 11 years. We help expats from all around the world with their immigration, business, tax and legal needs; ensuring a legally safe and enjoyable transition to the Spanish territory. Our multilingual team understands the importance of adapting to the cultural and legal specificities of our international clients. We offer a comprehensive service that combines the expertise of several generations of lawyers with the innovation needed to address today’s legal challenges, always striving to simplify processes and ensure reliable, effective results.
