Hello All,

I have a few questions about how Spain works.
I have actually been planning a move to France from Baltimore, MD USA for almost a year now. I have funds, have figured out the system, and I’m ready to apply to a French program that starts in the fall. But my current boss has ties in Spain, and he may be able to get me a job teaching English there. I’m currently enrolled in a TESL Certification program, which I think will help a ton.

I am curious about a few things: firstly, if I am enrolled in school in Spain, will I have the right to work? I am ultimately interested in higher education wherever I go, so it is certainly a concern for me to be able to work. In France, if you’re enrolled as a full-time student, you are given a visa to work for 20 hours or less a week, which is very helpful. Secondly, how easy is it to get an apartment in Spain? My contacts would lead me to Madrid. In France, a person needs a French guarantor to co-sign on any lease, which makes it very difficult to find a place to live. These are my two main concerns. I’m also interested in finding out exactly what the cost of living in Madrid might be for a student living on a budget. I can be very frugal, and from what I’ve read it looks like Spain is a bit cheaper than France.

Can anyone help me answer these questions?

Thank you so much,

Stephen

Hi Stephen,

I’m an American (former TEFL teacher) living in Madrid, so I can answer some of your questions.

About 3 years ago, I worked with an American girl on a student visa who was able to work 20 hours/week. However, the laws may have changed, so you may want to verify that with the Spanish council in your area. Regardless, as an American TEFL teacher, you can ALWAYS find work in Madrid (legal or not). While it would of course be better to be legal, there is no shortage of non-legal American, Canadian, and Australian teachers working under the table in Madrid. You’ll see that a lot of academies claim to hire only people with EU working papers, but that’s false. They say that for the benefit of any authorities who may see the ad, but in reality almost all will hire non-EU teachers.

Regarding apartments in Madrid, things are getting more and more expensive every day and landlords are demanding more. You CAN find a place on your own and rent it without a guarantor, though your choices may be limited. If you can, however, prove that you will have the funds to pay your rent or you’re willing to put several months’ rent in a special reserve bank account (aval bancario), you should be able to get a place. I’m not sure what your price range is, but these days if you want a studio or 1-BR on your own, you can expect to pay at least 600 euros/month in a so-so neighborhood and significantly more towards the center or in nice areas. You can always live in a shared flat, where you could get a room for anywhere from 250 euros to 500 euros, depending on location/size/amenities/etc.

Good luck!
Kronos

Kronos,

Thank you so much for your reply. I’m totally on board to come to Spain. I think it will be great! There is one question I like to ask all expats: what were the things you didn’t think of before going to Spain? More importantly, what was the BIG thing that you didn’t plan for?

Just curious!

Take care,

Stephen

Hey all,
i was reading your post and the questions relate to a question of my own.  I also would like to move to spain, barcelona to be specific, and i was wondering about living and working there.  however, i dont plan on being on a student visa.  from what i hear it can be somewhat tricky as far as tying down a visa, so i am trying to get ahead start.  I do plan on teaching english but i question all these TESOL companies that guarantee job placement.  do they really fill the spots, is that for EU residents, or is it just a gimmick?  and is under the table work just as easy to find in barcelona as it is in madrid?  finally, is the pay enough to live on, or will i need to land another job? 

Thanks for your time.  sorry for all the ignorance.