If you are not an EU citizen and you have a tech job offer in Spain, the usual route is a Highly Qualified Professional (HQP) permit. It comes in two versions: the EU Blue Card and a national HQP permit. If you work remotely for a company outside Spain, the digital nomad (international teleworker) visa may fit better.
All three sit in the same law: Spain’s Ley 14/2013, the “entrepreneurs law”. This guide explains who qualifies, the 2026 salary thresholds, the steps, and how long each step takes.
Do you need a visa at all?
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens don’t need a work permit. You can start work straight away. If you stay longer than three months, you register as a resident at the foreigners’ office or police station in your province within three months of arriving (Real Decreto 240/2007, article 7). You then get a registration certificate that shows your NIE (foreigner identity number). Our relocation checklist covers this.
Everyone else needs a permit that allows work. The rest of this guide is for you.
The options at a glance
| Permit | Best for | Who applies | Salary rule (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU Blue Card (HQP) | Employees with a degree, or ICT specialists with experience | Employer or you, at the UGE | At least €41,356.36 a year, or €33,085.09 in some cases |
| National HQP permit | Employees who don’t fit the Blue Card rules | Employer or you, at the UGE | €41,356.36 a year (no reduced rate) |
| Digital nomad visa | Remote workers employed by, or freelancing for, companies outside Spain | You, at a consulate or the UGE | Income of at least €2,442 a month |
“UGE” is the Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos, the unit in the Ministry of Inclusion that handles these permits (Ley 14/2013, article 76).
Highly Qualified Professional permit
Article 71 of Ley 14/2013 creates a residence permit for highly qualified professionals. A company in Spain must need you for a highly qualified job. The application can be filed by the company or by you. If you file it, the UGE tells the company it has received the application.
EU Blue Card version
To qualify, you need one of these (article 71.2.a):
- a higher education qualification of at least three years (EQF level 6, for example a bachelor’s degree), or
- at least five years of relevant professional experience at a comparable level.
There is a shorter path for tech. For ICT professionals and managers, three years of relevant experience within the last seven years is enough. That matters for self-taught developers and people without a computer science degree.
You also need a job contract or firm job offer for at least six months. The salary must meet the threshold (article 71 bis).
National HQP version
The national permit asks for a qualification at EQF level 5 (for example a two-year higher diploma), or at least three years of comparable professional experience (article 71.2.b). It suits people who don’t fit the Blue Card rules.
Salary thresholds for 2026
The Blue Card salary threshold is set by Order PJC/44/2026. The gross annual salary must be at least 1.4 times the average gross annual earnings from the INE’s annual salary survey. The threshold is updated when the INE publishes new data, and the new figure applies to applications filed one month after publication.
The INE published 2024 data on 28 May 2026. It puts the average at €29,540.26 a year. The UGE’s June 2026 update gives these figures:
- General threshold: €41,356.36 gross a year.
- Reduced threshold (80%): €33,085.09 gross a year. This applies to occupations with a particular shortage of workers in major groups 1 and 2 of the occupation classification, and to people who got their qualification no more than three years before applying (article 71 bis).
- National HQP permit: €41,356.36, with no reduced rate.
Thresholds change every year. Check the UGE website before you or your employer file.
Step by step
- Get a job offer. Look for employers that already sponsor. Our visa sponsorship jobs page lists them, and our guide to companies that sponsor visas in Spain explains how we check.
- Gather documents. Typically the signed contract or offer, your passport, proof of your degree or experience, proof of health insurance and a criminal record certificate. The company also proves it meets the UGE’s requirements. It only has to do this once: the UGE registers the company for three years (article 76.4).
- Pay the fee and file online. Applications go to the UGE electronically through the Ministry’s e-office. The government fee is paid with form 790, code 038. Check the current amount before paying.
- Wait for the decision. The legal maximum is 20 days from electronic filing. If there is no answer in that time, the permit counts as granted (positive administrative silence) (article 76.1).
- Apply for the visa if you are abroad. Take the approved permit to the Spanish consulate for your place of residence. Consulates must decide within 10 working days (article 75.5). Once it is granted, you usually have one month to collect it. Visa fees depend on the consulate and your nationality. For example, the consulate in Miami lists a different fee for US citizens than for other nationalities.
- Move and register. The residence visa lets you live in Spain while it is valid, without a separate ID card (article 75.4). A permit granted for more than six months also needs a foreigner identity card (TIE) (article 76.2). Under the general immigration regulation, you apply for the TIE in person at a police station, usually within one month (Real Decreto 1155/2024). Check the deadline in your decision letter, or ask your employer.
If you are already legally in Spain, for example as a student, you can apply to the UGE from Spain. Filing extends your current status until the decision (article 76.1).
How long it lasts
The HQP permit lasts three years, or the length of your contract plus three months if the contract is shorter. You can renew it for two years at a time, in the 60 days before it expires. After five years you can apply for long-term residence (article 71.3).
Family members
Your spouse or partner, your children under 18 (or older if they depend on you) and dependent parents can apply with you, or later. If you apply together, the decisions are made together (article 62.4).
Changing jobs and losing your job
A Blue Card can be withdrawn if you lose a qualifying job and stay unemployed for more than three months (if you have held the card for less than two years) or six months (two years or more). You get that time to look for a new job (article 71 bis.3).
If you already hold a Blue Card from another EU country, you can move to Spain after 12 months (or six months if you have lived in more than one EU country as a Blue Card holder). You apply for a Spanish Blue Card and can start work once the application is complete (article 71 bis.4).
Digital nomad visa (international teleworker)
This is for people who live in Spain but work remotely for companies outside Spain (Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 74 quinquies).
Who qualifies:
- You must be a graduate or postgraduate of a recognised university, vocational school or business school, or have at least three years of professional experience.
- The company (or group) you work for must have been operating for at least one year.
- Employees must have worked for the foreign company for at least three months before applying, and have its permission to work remotely from Spain. Employees can only work for companies outside Spain.
- Freelancers must have worked with one or more foreign companies for at least three months. Up to 20% of their work can be for Spanish clients.
Income for 2026. Consulates use the minimum wage (SMI), which is €1,221 a month in 2026. The Spanish consulate in Washington lists:
- €2,442 a month for the applicant alone (200% of the SMI)
- plus €916 a month for the first family member (75%)
- plus €306 a month for each additional family member (25%)
How long it lasts. The visa lasts up to one year. In the 60 days before it expires, you can apply to the UGE for a residence permit of up to three years, renewable for two years at a time. If you are already legally in Spain, you can apply for the residence permit directly.
The digital nomad visa also opens the door to Spain’s special tax regime for incoming workers. See our tax guide. If you want remote roles, browse our remote jobs.
Common questions
Do I need to speak Spanish? Not for the permit itself. No Spanish required for many of the jobs on our board either. You will need translations of some foreign documents, and some consulates ask for supporting documents in Spanish. Our guide on getting a tech job in Spain without Spanish has more.
Can I apply from inside Spain as a tourist? Ley 14/2013 lets people who are legally in Spain apply to the UGE from Spain. Check your case with the UGE before you rely on this.
Does the company need to be large? The UGE checks the company’s details. Its criteria are set out in the UGE’s instructions, not in the law. Ask the employer whether it is already registered with the UGE. Many companies on our apply from abroad page are.
Where do I find jobs that meet the threshold? Our software engineer salaries guide shows what jobs on our board pay in Madrid and Barcelona.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum salary for an EU Blue Card in Spain in 2026?
The general threshold is €41,356.36 gross a year, following the UGE’s June 2026 update. A reduced Blue Card threshold of €33,085.09 applies to some shortage occupations and to recent graduates. The national HQP permit uses €41,356.36, with no reduced rate. Thresholds change every year, so check the UGE website before you or your employer file.
Can I get an EU Blue Card in Spain without a degree?
Yes, if you work in tech. ICT professionals and managers can qualify with three years of relevant experience within the last seven years instead of a degree. Other applicants need at least five years of relevant professional experience. You also need a job contract or firm offer for at least six months that meets the salary threshold.
How long does it take to get a Highly Qualified Professional permit?
The UGE has a legal maximum of 20 days from electronic filing, and no answer in that time counts as approval. If you are abroad, the Spanish consulate must then decide on your visa within 10 working days. After you arrive, you usually apply for your TIE card within one month.
How long is the Spanish HQP permit valid?
It lasts three years, or the length of your contract plus three months if the contract is shorter. You can renew it for two years at a time, applying in the 60 days before it expires. After five years you can apply for long-term residence, so plan your renewals early.
How much income do I need for Spain’s digital nomad visa?
In 2026 you need at least €2,442 a month for yourself (200% of the minimum wage), according to the Spanish consulate in Washington. Add €916 a month for the first family member and €306 for each additional one. Employees must work only for companies outside Spain; freelancers can do up to 20% of their work for Spanish clients.
What happens to my Blue Card if I lose my job?
You get time to find a new one. The card can be withdrawn if you stay unemployed for more than three months, or more than six months if you have held it for two years or more. Use that period to look for another job that meets the Blue Card rules, and check your situation with the UGE.
This guide explains the rules in general terms. It isn’t legal advice. Immigration rules and thresholds change; always check the official sources linked above.