Introduction
Are you looking to gain some extra cash while you’re studying in Spain? It’s absolutely possible. I’m going to be telling you some part-time job opportunities that you can try as a student. We talk about the salaries to expect, the taxes, how to get this job, the websites and tips to set you apart. Many international students find ways to earn while they learn. With the updated work visa in Spain and work laws in Spain, it’s now even easier to get started. I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know about part-time jobs for students in Spain, how much you can earn, where to find work, the type of jobs that you can try, and the legal steps that you need to take.
Why Spain is Ideal
If you’re somebody that wants to study in Spain, you have to pay attention. If you’re already studying in Spain or you’re getting ready, this is going to help you. Spain is actually in my opinion number one in terms of study. Lots of good universities are here. Did you know that the oldest university is situated in Spain? The good news is that Spain has plenty of part-time job opportunities. Most times when people say there is no job in Spain, it’s because they do not know where to dig in. Even if you want to teach, you want to freelance, you want to work in a restaurant, you need a job at least to keep yourself going while you study, then this will actually help you.
Legal Rules for Students
Now let’s talk about the legal rules for students. What do you need to know before you start working? You’re not going to just get to Spain and start working. It doesn’t work like that. If you are from outside the EU and you hold a student visa, the good news is that you can now work up to 30 hours. The Spanish government increased it from 20 to 30 hours. As a student per week, you can work 30 hours and even in official holidays or academic breaks you are allowed to work full-time up to 40 hours per week. If you are from the EU, you have the right to work without restriction, but you still need to register with social security and pay any required contributions.
The first thing to keep in mind is that you need to always inform your school and check your visa terms before starting a job. Try to carry your school along. Some universities may require you to maintain academic attention and to have good progress as a condition before you start working. Just carry university along for safe landing sake.
Best Cities for Jobs
Now what are the best cities? Let’s start with the best cities to find job in Spain. Studying in Spain is not just diving into the pool. Spain has different regions, different autonomous regions, and these regions have their analytics, they have their percentages of job. There are some regions that when you go, you have job instantly and there are some regions that you are going to sweat it.
Number one region that you have high chances of getting job as a student part-time is Madrid. This is the capital of Spain and it has high demand in hospitality. People are continually moving to Madrid in their tens, in their thousands, in their millions and hospitality is one of the key areas that you can find job easily. You can also do private tutoring or internship and there is always something going on.
The next is Barcelona. It’s also popular with tourists and startup restaurants, hotels. You can even work in a digital firm and the likes.
The next is Valencia. Valencia is slightly smaller but is big on tech and education. Students actually thrive there.
Sevilla and Granada Opportunities
Next is Sevilla and Granada. This is actually located in Andalucia and is great for language teaching, working in local cafes and small business jobs. In general, the larger and more international the city, the more diverse the job market will be. Although even in smaller towns you find opportunities, especially in tourism and language teaching. If you can speak English, you can actually go into freelancing and just give part-time jobs and you can pair things together to survive.
Where Can You Actually Find Jobs
As a student in Spain, where can you actually find jobs? Spain has their portal. They have specialized portals to get jobs. Of course, you can look on Indeed. You can look on LinkedIn. You can look on other diverse job portals. But InfoJobs and Studentjob are some of the specialized sites to get job in Spain. These platforms actually allow you to filter for part-time and student jobs. Those are some of the sites that you can actually look in and search for a job.
Sometimes you can go to the employment board. Spain has an employment board that gives jobs to people and you can actually register and let them know that you’re looking for a job and they sign you in and notify you if anything comes up. You get emails from them on job openings and the rest.
University Career Services
Let’s talk about university careers and services. Many Spanish universities actually have dedicated career offices. Like I told you, just like the way Spain has a general job board, some universities also have career offices that post part-time internship opportunities on bulletin boards, on school portals, student WhatsApp groups, Facebook groups and these are gold mines if you ask me because opportunity just comes to you. As a student in Spain you have lots and lots of opportunities. Sometimes I see some juicy jobs online, internship with good pay. You need to study in Spain. Search for international opportunities and all these things are just available to you.
Networking and Direct Applications
The thing is that even as a student, you can even walk around your neighborhood, especially in tourist areas, and ask them are they hiring. Many small businesses actually prefer to hire directly and sometimes they do not list, they do not put on portals. You just go there face to face and ask them, “Hey, do you need help with work?” and they just employ you like that. As simple as that. Or you drop your CV with them and when they have any opening they contact you. Most jobs are mostly booming in the summer.
Then there’s a place for networking. This might be the most effective method. Speak to people, ask your professor, speak to your classmates, your neighbors. Word of mouth is very common here and sometimes referrals go a long way than personal applications would do for you.
Types of Jobs
What kind of job can students do in Spain? Actually there are plenty of options depending on your language skills, your schedule and your qualifications. When I mean language skills, of course you are in Spain, you don’t expect everybody to be speaking English. But then if you have a bit of Spanish, with time you can even grasp the language while you’re working. It’s more easier to learn language on site than with books and all that.
English Tutoring
You can actually look into jobs like English tutoring. Lots of people in Spain will like to learn English. If you are fluent in English, this is a topic for you. You can teach adults, you can teach children, you can teach professionals. The rate goes from €10 to €20 per hour depending on your experience. Even if it’s private tutoring, there are websites that can actually link you to people even outside Spain that you can be teaching and earning some money for yourself.
Hospitality and Retail
The next is hospitality. I mentioned hospitality and retail. Of course everybody knows that tourism is a big cake in Spain. You can actually tap into it and use it for your own advantage. Jobs like waiter, waitress, barista, cashier, receptionist, front desk personnel can actually be a good fit for students like you. You have flexible hours but sometimes Spanish is usually required. The pay is usually from €7 to €9 per hour. Sometimes you have tips. Some people may like to tip you for your extra work.
Freelancing and Online Work
Like I mentioned before, look into freelancing or online work. If you go on Upwork, I know Upwork is common, but there are some jobs that say, “I want somebody in Spain, I need somebody in Spain.” You find them. You apply for them. Graphic design, writing, video editing, virtual assistant. Use platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, Workana. The rates vary widely based on skills and it might be much higher than the local jobs.
Delivery Jobs
The next is delivery jobs. This is one of the jobs I see many young people doing. I see them everywhere. People are ordering food, ordering one thing or the other. With a scooter or bike, you can actually work for Uber Eats, Glovo or Deliveroo. The hours are sometimes flexible and it’s app based. The pay is around €8 per hour or per delivery fee. It’s a good one and I don’t think you need to learn too much Spanish to work as a delivery person in Spain.
Internship
The next is internship. Of course as a student it is mandatory that you go for internship or training with organizations, sometimes multinationals. Multinationals can even employ you to be an intern for a specific time and of course sometimes it might be unpaid, but most often than not these organizations offer you stipends and this can go a long way to help you to gain some funds and to also build your CV, gain experience and if possible you can even be absorbed into the organization after your graduation.
On-Campus Jobs
The next thing to look at is on-campus jobs. Of course while there are jobs outside campus, there are also jobs inside the campus. University events, ambassadors, language exchange coordinator, admin assistant. Just have to check with your international office or student union of the university and ask them what opportunities are available that you can tap into. Do not limit yourself.
Salary Expectations
The next is the pay and salary expectation. What should you keep in mind for the salary? The minimum wage per hour in Spain is around €8.45 for full-time workers and part-time jobs may vary slightly. But for students you can expect €7 to €10 per hour in most common jobs and €10 to €15 per hour for maybe private tutoring, specialized work in freelance, in restaurants and the rest. Remember, like I told you, big cities sometimes have the bigger cake. Wages can sometimes be higher in Madrid and Barcelona, especially in tech, tourism and private education. You may want to look into the region of Spain and choose the right one. Don’t just say, “I’m going to study in Spain.” Put your eyes down and know where you want to go.
Taxes and Social Security
Now the next thing that this leads us to is taxes and social security. Spain does not joke with taxes. Ask anybody. Spain does not joke with taxes. Even if you’re a student, some deductions actually apply. For instance, if you earn under €1,000 per month, you usually don’t pay income tax. However, you will likely pay social security contributions. This is small, around 6 to 7% of your gross salary. If you’re earning more than €12,450 per year, you’ll begin to pay income taxes, that is around 19%. These contributions give you access to free public health and you’ll be able to register as a worker in Spain.
Even if you’re doing freelance, make sure you have a tax ID that will help you to pay your taxes. Like I tell you before, Spain does not joke with taxes. Even if you’re doing online work, online work, you have to declare and pay your tax. If the money is under €1,000, the income tax will not be deducted but you’ll pay social security. The benefit of this social security helps you to access free public healthcare. This actually will help you if you want to stay longer and switch visa types later.
How Much Will You Actually Take Home
How much is left with you after all this deduction, after all the work? Let’s break it down. For instance, you work 30 hours per week and you are paid €8 per hour. That is €240 per week and your monthly salary will be €960 gross. After social security, which is about 7%, approximately €67, your take-home will be around €893 per month. This is more than enough to help you cover expenses. A room in a shared apartment is paying from €300 to €500 depending on the area, on the city. Groceries is around at least €150 to €250 per month should be enough for groceries. Transport and leisure, €100 to €150 per month. It depends on you as a person, if you’re a prudent spender, if you’re someone that likes to keep things, depends on you as an individual.
Final Tips
What are the final tips for landing the right job? Number one is polish your CV. Spain has, of course every country has a way of finding things and guiding people. Your CV in Spain should include your photo and your NIE number. You will surely have it because as a student you have all these things. Include that at least you speak a bit of Spanish. It’s a huge difference, even if it’s just basic, add it to your CV.
Again, you need to be flexible, ready to work on weekends, evenings, holidays if possible and prime time. You’re a student, of course you need money. You need money for expenses. Working and schooling is not an easy feat, but you have to be persistent. It may take time to land your first job, but once you get in, more doors are going to open. Don’t give up and say, “Oh, people are saying there’s no job in Spain.” People are trooping into Spain. Lots of students are coming here and they are doing perfectly well. Just do your research. Come in with a positive mind and you have the best.
Spain is not just a beautiful country to study in. It has plenty of ways that you can earn on the side. Like I mentioned, teaching, delivering and the rest. Just look around you. Look for the opportunities around you. Make friends, talk to people, interact with people. Don’t say you don’t understand Spanish. Spanish people do not put you off if you can’t speak their language totally. They are very patient. Just some little phrases and even using translators can help you communicate with somebody and who knows, your next opportunity might just be on the door. Follow the rules, speak some Spanish, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. You got this.