Certain nationalities require a Spanish work visa to legally live and work in Spain. There is a number of different types of Spanish work permits, as well as exemptions, depending on your employment situation in Spain. The Spanish work permit is closely linked to your residence status in Spain, and in most cases, a job will need to be arranged before you can apply for a permit to move to Spain.
In most cases, you’ll need to get a work permit if you are hired as an employee in Spain.
Your employer will submit an application for a work permit to the provincial office of the Ministry of Labour (Delegación Provincial del Ministerio de Trabajo e Inmigración) on your behalf. While this is being processed, you’ll be sent a copy of the application with the stamp from that office and file number. You can send it onto the Spanish embassy or consulate as part of your application for a work and residence visa. The embassy will inform the regional labour office that it has your application and the labour office will start to process your application. It can take up to eight months to process a work permit application, so plan well ahead. Once the labour office has approved the work permit, the embassy or consulate will issue your work and residence visa.
The work permit is valid for one year and is renewable as long as you still fulfill the conditions.