There are real jobs in Spain for foreigners in tech, and you can apply for many of them before you move. On Spain Dev Jobs on 16 October 2026, 257 English-speaking tech jobs said they accept applicants who live in another country, at 42 companies, and 42 of those jobs mentioned visa sponsorship. If you are not an EU citizen, the usual permit is the Highly Qualified Professional (HQP) permit or EU Blue Card: no labour market test, a 20-day legal deadline, and a salary of at least €41,356.36 a year in most cases.
This guide shows which jobs to target, who sponsors, which permit fits, and how to get a job in Spain from abroad step by step. Board figures describe the jobs on this board, not the whole market.
How many Spanish tech jobs accept applicants from abroad?
From our apply from abroad page and October 2026 report:
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Jobs that accept applicants living abroad | 257 of 2,583 (10%), at 42 companies |
| …of which mention visa sponsorship | 42 (16%) |
| …of which are fully remote | 101 (39%) |
| …with a posted yearly salary | 70, mostly €47k to €140k |
| Jobs on the whole board offering relocation support | 193 (7%) |
| Jobs on the whole board that ask for no Spanish | 2,576 of 2,583 |
So the market is real but selective. Most international employers in Spain hire people who already live there, and roughly one job in ten is open to candidates abroad.
Who sponsors visas for tech jobs in Spain?
On 16 October 2026, nine companies on our visa sponsor companies page mentioned sponsorship in current ads:
| Company | Ads mentioning sponsorship | Typical roles |
|---|---|---|
| Affirm | 11 | Backend, data engineering |
| n8n | 11 | Security, product, DevOps, AI enablement |
| N26 | 6 | Product, ML, mobile (Barcelona) |
| Scopely | 5 | Game engineering (Barcelona) |
| Wallapop | 4 | Data science, ML, engineering management (Barcelona) |
| Cast AI | 2 | Software and ML engineering |
| Docker | 1 | Security |
| Monzo | 1 | Data science (Barcelona) |
| Multiverse Computing | 1 | Platform engineering (Barcelona) |
Other employers that accept applicants abroad, such as Preply, Socialpoint, Zynga, BASF, GE Vernova, Nexthink and Deutsche Bank, offered relocation support or said they welcome applicants from abroad in recent ads. An ad that doesn’t mention sponsorship isn’t always a no; ask the recruiter early. See the current list on visa sponsorship jobs.
Can foreigners work in Spain?
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
Yes, freely. You don’t need a work permit. If you stay longer than three months, you register as a resident within three months of arriving and get a certificate with your NIE (Real Decreto 240/2007, article 7). For employers, hiring you from abroad is almost as easy as hiring a local, so apply widely.
Everyone else
You need a permit that allows work. For tech jobs there are three realistic routes:
| Route | When it fits | Key conditions (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| HQP permit / EU Blue Card | You have a job offer from a company in Spain | Salary at least €41,356.36 (Blue Card €33,085.09 for shortage occupations and recent graduates); degree, or 3 years of ICT experience for the Blue Card |
| General work permit (cuenta ajena) | Lower salary, or the employer can’t use the HQP route | Labour market test unless the job is on the shortage list |
| Digital nomad visa | You work remotely for a company outside Spain | At least €2,442 a month income, 3 months with the employer |
Why the HQP permit is the best route
Permits under Spain’s entrepreneurs law, including the HQP permit and Blue Card, are not subject to the labour market test (Ley 14/2013, additional provision 5). The employer doesn’t need to prove it couldn’t find a local candidate. Applications go electronically to a central unit (the UGE), which has 20 days to decide; no answer in that time counts as approval (article 76). Then you apply for the visa at the Spanish consulate where you live.
The salary threshold since 28 June 2026 is €41,356.36 gross a year, or €33,085.09 for Blue Card applicants in shortage occupations or who got their qualification within the last three years (Order PJC/44/2026). Check an offer with our EU Blue Card salary check. For the full steps, read our work visa guide.
The general work permit and the labour market test
For a general work permit, the national employment situation must allow the hire. That is the case if the job is on the quarterly catalogue of hard-to-fill occupations for the region, or if the employer posts the job with the public employment service and shows it couldn’t fill it locally (Real Decreto 1155/2024, articles 74 and 75). This takes longer and is less predictable, which is why employers of tech workers usually prefer the HQP route.
Is there a job seeker visa for Spain?
Not a general one. The 12-month job-search visas in the immigration regulation are only for children or grandchildren of Spanish nationals, or specific occupations set each year. If you studied in Spain, you can get a residence permit to look for work for up to 24 months: see our guide to the Spain job search visa after studies.
How to get a job in Spain from abroad: step by step
- Target the right jobs. Start with jobs that accept applicants abroad and with companies that sponsor. Filter for visa sponsorship and apply from abroad.
- Check the salary early. If you need a permit, make sure the role can pay at least the Blue Card threshold that applies to you. Posted salaries for these jobs were mostly €47k to €140k.
- Say your status up front. Put your nationality, current location, and whether you need sponsorship in your CV summary or cover note. Recruiters decide quickly; clarity helps.
- Write an international CV. One or two pages, in English, with measurable results.
- Prepare for remote interviews. Expect to interview online, usually with a recruiter call, technical screens and a final round.
- Negotiate the move. Ask about relocation support, temporary housing, the permit process and your start date. Ask whether the offer is in 12 or 14 payments: our guide to bruto a neto and 14 pagas explains the difference.
- Plan the permit timeline. UGE decision (up to 20 days), then the consulate (up to 10 working days for HQP visas), then travel. Gather documents such as degree certificates and criminal records while you interview.
- Plan your taxes. The Beckham Law’s flat 24% rate can raise your net pay a lot, but you must opt in within six months of your Social Security registration. Read our tax guide.
English-speaking jobs in Spain
All the jobs on our board are at companies where English is the working language; only 7 of 2,583 asked for any Spanish in October 2026. That makes the language barrier much lower than people expect. Spanish still helps with daily life and opens more local jobs. Our guide to getting a tech job in Spain without Spanish covers CVs, interviews and language in more detail, and Spain tech job market 2026 shows which skills are most in demand.
Remote jobs as a way in
39% of the jobs open to applicants abroad were fully remote. Read each ad carefully: many are “Remote (Spain)” or “Remote (EU)”, which means you must live in Spain or the EU, so you still need the right to live there. If you already work for a company outside Spain, the digital nomad visa may be easier: see working remotely from Spain for a foreign employer. The digital nomad visa requires at least €2,442 a month in 2026 (Spanish consulate in Washington).
Which city should you target?
Most jobs open to applicants abroad are in Barcelona and Madrid, like the market overall. Barcelona had most of the jobs mentioning visa sponsorship in October 2026. Compare them in Madrid vs Barcelona for tech workers, check budgets in cost of living in Barcelona, or look at smaller markets in Valencia vs Málaga for developers. If you work in AI, see AI and ML jobs in Spain.
Frequently asked questions
Are there jobs in Spain for foreigners with visa sponsorship?
Yes, in tech, but they are a small share. On 16 October 2026, 42 jobs on our board mentioned visa sponsorship, at nine companies including Affirm, n8n, N26, Scopely and Wallapop. Many other employers hire from abroad without saying so in the ad, so ask early and target salaries above the Blue Card threshold.
How can a foreigner get a job in Spain?
EU citizens can apply for any job and simply register as residents. Non-EU citizens need a job offer that supports a permit, usually the Highly Qualified Professional permit or EU Blue Card, with a salary of at least €41,356.36 a year in most cases. Target employers that accept applicants abroad and mention sponsorship.
Can I get a job in Spain without speaking Spanish?
Yes, in tech. In October 2026, 2,576 of the 2,583 jobs on our board didn’t ask for Spanish, because every company we list works in English. Spanish helps in daily life and widens your options, but it isn’t required for these jobs or for the HQP permit itself.
How long does it take to get a work visa for Spain?
For the HQP permit, the UGE has 20 days from electronic filing to decide, and no answer counts as approval. The consulate then has 10 working days to issue the visa. Add time for gathering documents, booking a consulate appointment and travel, and agree a realistic start date with your employer.
Is there a job seeker visa for Spain?
Not for most people. The job-search visas in the immigration regulation last 12 months but are only for descendants of Spanish nationals or occupations set in a yearly order. Graduates of Spanish universities can get a residence permit to look for work for up to 24 months.
Do I need my degree recognised to work in tech in Spain?
Not for most tech jobs, which aren’t regulated professions. For the EU Blue Card, ICT professionals can qualify with three years of relevant experience in the last seven years instead of a degree (Ley 14/2013, article 71). Regulated professions, such as some engineering titles, have their own recognition rules.
This guide gives general information, not legal advice. Visa rules, thresholds and job numbers change; check the official sources linked above and confirm the process with your employer before you move.