Hello All,

Excuse me if I am posting in the wrong forum(perhaps I should have done this in Introduction but not sure if many people browse that section) I have been browsing this site for many weeks trying to dig up as much information as I possibly could in regards to a move to Spain I have been dreaming about since I could remember that I would like to make happen by this summer.

For starters, I am a citizen of Spain thanks to both my parents(my family is from the Galicia region). So in that aspect I would assume my move to Spain would be fairly easy but I still have a few concerns that I can’t seem to find an answer on. I know the employment situation in Spain is still fairly bad and right now that is perhaps my biggest concern heading over. I am currently in the process of creating a Curriculum Vitae that I will e-mail to a few people I know that are currently living in Spain in hopes that something in fact does come up by the time summer rolls around. I do have some questions that I could not find an answer on that maybe perhaps someone could help me with.

1)I am currently finishing up an Associate’s Degree(2-year college) does this have an equivalent in Spain?I have a feeling it may not have an equivalent but if there is one is it what they call a Diplomatura?

2) How important is an education in Spain over let’s say total job experience? I have over 5 years experience in my current field of employment(Import/Export Coordinator) but I am not a “school” person and have no intentions of completing a bachelor’s degree anytime soon but I did hope at perhaps finishing a Bachelor’s degree via online while I am staying in Spain and am researching information in regards to that.

3)Is it true that it’s easier for people coming from outside the country to find a job over let’s say Spanish-born citizens? I heard a rumor that it IS easier but I am not so sure if it’s true. I am sure it is true that if you speak both English and Spanish it is easier to find something? I also have a substantial knowledge of Portuguese(thanks to both knowing Gallego and having a lot of Portuguese friends here in the states)

Right now my destination of choice is 99.9% set on Valencia. I have thought of moving to Vigo as I have my grandparents living near there as well as many friends(Ourense) and my parents own an apartment in Vigo so I wouldnt have to worry about paying rent but I am not a huge fan of Galcia’s climate during the winter months and the unemployment in Galicia is much worse than the rest of Spain. I also fell in love with Valencia when I visited recently for the Fallas festivals and gained many friendships there as I went with my friend who’s family all pretty much reside in Valencia and the climate is much more nicer than Galicia’s and being close to Madrid and Barcelona is also huge pluses.  I hope someone can perhaps provide me with an answer to some of my questions or at least point me into the right direction. Again sorry if some of these questions have been answered or I have posted in the wrong forum but I could not find any answer to any of them :/

Thanks.

Vigo’s not so bad in winter. ..

Personally I cannot help on the recognition of education. I’d imagine that you’d only have to prove your degree if you are going for a civil service/ local government job (oposiciones). In private industry/local business it’s not so important. Your average Spanish employer will be looking for an employee under 20 years of age with a full degree and a minimum of 5 years relevant work experience!!! Seriously though, most things seem to work on contacts (enchufes). A good education and experience are important, perhaps tipped more towards experience - age though is important, there are fiscal benefits for employing people under 21 or under 34.

Personally…. I’d think seriously about Vigo. I’s not always raining in winter as some people think, not too cold there either. You’d have free lodgings whilst you are getting settled, the unemployment level in Galicia is marginally lower than Spain in general, but couldn’t say how it is in Com. Valenciana. The cost of living is less in Galicia, OK, you’ll get paid less here than in Valencia, but whilst you are jobhunting (which could be a looonnngg time) your savings will go further. The other factor is that the Xunta de Galicia have special programs for returnees, these include help with jobhunting, fiscal benefits for employers who hire returnees and low cost loans and benefits for setting up your own business amongst other things. Your portuguese would be more useful in Vigo aswell.
Good luck.

Hello Riazor,

Thanks for the response. I am 24 years old, going on 25 so I hope based just solely on age/experience I am able to find something and I am not really looking to go into a civil service/ local government type job. You bring up alot of valid points on Vigo and honestly before I visited Valencia was always going to be my choice, though like you also mentioned, me already having a place to stay in which I wouldn’t have to worry about rent whilst I look for a job is always a plus especially if nothing comes up between now and the summer. Also the “enchufes” is huge in Spain, that I know. My parents and grandparents have a few contacts that work for TVG, General Motors, and someone who formerly worked for the port of Vigo so perhaps I can get something from that.

I don’t have a firm grasp of what rent is like in Vigo but for instance in Valencia, a 3 bedroom apartment in Valencia 15mins walking distance from the “center city” is going for like 300-400 euros a month which I think is fairly “cheap” for a big city in Spain no You mentioned the Xunta has special programs for returnees which I had no clue about which is definitely a huge plus as to why I would choose Vigo for sure. Do you by any chance have a link you can provide me with such information or am I better off just contacting the Xunta directly?

Again thank you for the response, I appreciate it!

Have a read of this, it’s fairly comprehensive:

[url=http://www.galiciaaberta.com/files/GR_castellano.pdf]Galician Returnee Guide

Even if you don’t go to Vigo, it seems to answer most of your questions.

thank you so much for that Riazor! I am really excited about this but my parents are concerned that it’d be foolish of me to move over there if I have yet to find a job but I feel as if even if I start sending out CVs now companies may not take me to seriously since I am out of the country.

Right now my biggest thing is finding some kind of employment which as you mentioned can take a very long time based on the state of the economy as it is now. Something I could not find in the guide that perhaps you may know Riazor, how hard/easy is it to file for unemployment now?

Cappa,
It is easy to register yourself as unemployed. You go to your INEM office with your DNI and perhaps your social security number (it was so long ago that I went that I cannot remember exactly - but I do remember that it was easy). They will register you and arrange for an interview with the colocation service (which supposedly helps you find a job, aids with courses etc). What I’m not sure about would be your right to economic help.  When I signed on there was no unemployment benefit if you had not paid in to the system, then once you had used up all your allowance there was no more. With the start of the crisis here there was a governent scheme that paid 440? per month for people who had run out of ‘paro’. This aid has now finished but in Galicia has been taken up by the Xunta, they pay around 420 per month on condition that you take up a training course. As I say, I’m not sure these days if these 420? are available only for people who have run out of benefits or if they are available to newly registered unemployed.

Be prepared to be officially unemployed a long time. There are a lot of highly qualified people without work here - all over Spain. When sending out CVs, don’t expect to get a reply. Pay is rubbish all over Spain unless you’re a doctor, for a first job, think mileurista - take home pay of around 1000? per month.

My simple advice is not to come to Spain at the moment, unless you have particular skills which could be in demand here. Most youngsters I know are moving abroad to find work, 25% real unemployment rate here makes for sad reading with no sign of change. Spain is a great country to live in but not to work in, there just isn’t any work ! Get down to your studies in the States, get qualified and then maybe ! The Spanish Consult will have the information you need on any Qualification cognition.

Riazor, thank you for that information and Lionel thank you for that tip but I have no intentions in moving to Spain with at first procuring a job and luckily I have already had a few job offers in which I am among the “Final candidates” so we will see what happens.

The reason why youngsters who have completed college have such a hard time procuring a job in Spain is because unfortunately colleges in Spain do not do enough to prepare students for working “in the real world.” At 25 years of age, I already have more experience than a 30 year old in the same field in Spain.

It is odd that you should mention the Quality of Spanish education.
I have lived and worked here now for over 25 years, my son had all his education here but went to the UK for further studies, back here then back to the UK.
He now has a reasonable position here because he had worked in the UK so has a different attitude to that of his Spanish friends, not all I would add.

So good luck to you, we both live in the Valencian Community so drop a line when you make it,try to join a Multinational or a more open minded Spanish employer, some are rather old fashioned in their attitude to employees.

It is who you know as mentioned earlier but with a little bit of luck !!!!