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Help a newbie out please

Help a newbie out please

Old Nov 8th 2017, 1:39 pm
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Default Help a newbie out please

My partner and I are in the early stages of researching a move to Spain. We haven’t settled on an area yet as we would like to see what may be available for us. I work in admin in an office and my partner works as a 360 excavator. We will both be looking to work but have very limited Spanish at the moment but of course we intended to learn the language eventually. So one of my questions is would we be able to find work with limited Spanish knowledge? Also is there work in construction that will be available to my partner as an excavator operator? As stated I work in admin which I feel could be an issue but not being the main bread winner I could always settle into something else that doesn’t require as much language knowledge. Any information would be greatly appreciated as we have no idea where to start with regards to looking for work etc
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Old Nov 8th 2017, 2:08 pm
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Default Re: Help a newbie out please

I suggest searching through the threads on the forum as your question has been asked and answered many times. Coming to Spain hoping to find work to support yourselves will be very difficult made harder if you have little or no Spanish. Sorry to be a pessimist but I am afraid that is the way it is. Spain is starting to make headway since the crunch but very slowly.
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Old Nov 8th 2017, 2:13 pm
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Default Re: Help a newbie out please

Originally Posted by Jenna1985
My partner and I are in the early stages of researching a move to Spain. We haven’t settled on an area yet as we would like to see what may be available for us. I work in admin in an office and my partner works as a 360 excavator. We will both be looking to work but have very limited Spanish at the moment but of course we intended to learn the language eventually. So one of my questions is would we be able to find work with limited Spanish knowledge? Also is there work in construction that will be available to my partner as an excavator operator? As stated I work in admin which I feel could be an issue but not being the main bread winner I could always settle into something else that doesn’t require as much language knowledge. Any information would be greatly appreciated as we have no idea where to start with regards to looking for work etc
Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst myself and BEVS moderate Europe. Please read the Site Rules Site Rules | British Expatriate Community adhere to them so that the site runs smoothly. Moderators are there to ensure that the rules of BE are maintained. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.
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Old Nov 8th 2017, 2:18 pm
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Default Re: Help a newbie out please

Sorry to have to tell you that the construction industry still has more operatives than positions for people fluent in Spanish so although it may not be impossible for your partner to find a job it will be extremely difficult.

Without sufficient Spanish it will be very much the same for you. Hate being negative but would not want to give you false hope either. As suggested have a thorough search on the forum and you will gain a good understanding of the work situation here.

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Old Nov 8th 2017, 3:38 pm
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Default Re: Help a newbie out please

Originally Posted by Jenna1985
My partner and I are in the early stages of researching a move to Spain. We haven’t settled on an area yet as we would like to see what may be available for us. I work in admin in an office and my partner works as a 360 excavator. We will both be looking to work but have very limited Spanish at the moment but of course we intended to learn the language eventually. So one of my questions is would we be able to find work with limited Spanish knowledge? Also is there work in construction that will be available to my partner as an excavator operator? As stated I work in admin which I feel could be an issue but not being the main bread winner I could always settle into something else that doesn’t require as much language knowledge. Any information would be greatly appreciated as we have no idea where to start with regards to looking for work etc
In general, there are more possibilities of work up here in the north, tho' you'd certainly need Spanish. And the north doesn't appeal to everybody, even though the climate is better than UK. There are few expats here which you might not like.
Do you have your own excavator?

As a rule, finding work here is often a question of knocking on doors, confronting people face to face rather than an impersonal approach on paper.
Best of luck.
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Old Nov 8th 2017, 4:01 pm
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Default Re: Help a newbie out please

Finding work in Spain with little Spanish would have similar opportunities as a Spaniard with little English finding work in your home town.
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Old Nov 8th 2017, 4:23 pm
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Default Re: Help a newbie out please

Is it just the two of you? Is there any way you could afford to live over here for say, 6 months if NEITHER of you worked here? Not being nosey, its relevant to your situation.
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Old Nov 8th 2017, 6:17 pm
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Default Re: Help a newbie out please

Originally Posted by Jenna1985
My partner and I are in the early stages of researching a move to Spain. We haven’t settled on an area yet as we would like to see what may be available for us. I work in admin in an office and my partner works as a 360 excavator. We will both be looking to work but have very limited Spanish at the moment but of course we intended to learn the language eventually. So one of my questions is would we be able to find work with limited Spanish knowledge? Also is there work in construction that will be available to my partner as an excavator operator? As stated I work in admin which I feel could be an issue but not being the main bread winner I could always settle into something else that doesn’t require as much language knowledge. Any information would be greatly appreciated as we have no idea where to start with regards to looking for work etc
You could start doing a thorough web search . Newspapers online such as the local Costa rag "Euro Weekly" will give you an idea of the market . There are other sites but this one tends to focus on english-speakers.
Whatever you decide as others have said it will be tough and there are certain basic requirements - health insurance, a minimum income and so on which must be met if you want to settle.
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Old Nov 9th 2017, 8:21 am
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Default Re: Help a newbie out please

Originally Posted by Jenna1985
My partner and I are in the early stages of researching a move to Spain. We haven’t settled on an area yet as we would like to see what may be available for us. I work in admin in an office and my partner works as a 360 excavator. We will both be looking to work but have very limited Spanish at the moment but of course we intended to learn the language eventually. So one of my questions is would we be able to find work with limited Spanish knowledge? Also is there work in construction that will be available to my partner as an excavator operator? As stated I work in admin which I feel could be an issue but not being the main bread winner I could always settle into something else that doesn’t require as much language knowledge. Any information would be greatly appreciated as we have no idea where to start with regards to looking for work etc
First of all it's important to know why you want to move. Is it just a change for a short while, are you looking for a beach lifestyle, do you want to experience a different culture, do you want to be better off financially, do you want a bigger home, do you want to settle there etc.? The reason I'm asking: What's the point of a move to let's say Madrid where you can find work but can't save any money, have long working hours but the reason for a move was to have more free time and enjoy the surf.




It's also a question what you would be giving up back home.
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Old Nov 10th 2017, 10:45 am
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Default Re: Help a newbie out please

My partner and I both found admin jobs in Barcelona without hardly any Spanish - but it was *tough*. Get the job before you come or it will be almost impossible (finding apt to let will not happen without work for eg).

I found mine through company called teleperformance, but even though it was English speaking position, the staff almost all spoke spanish to each other anyway (incl Germans, Swedish, Dutch workers) etc. Being the only one in the room not speaking decent level of ES is a pain at the least.
If I had to do it all again, I'd learn Spanish for at least a couple of years before coming to really get a choice of jobs (I recommend Michel Thomas CDs, Duolingo app and this guy https://www.youtube.com/user/gringoespanol).

Manual work like construction is going to be the hardest to find, the Eng speaking jobs are typically those in international workplaces.

English teaching jobs were also tough to get as so many do it.

I used this service to find acc Moving to Barcelona | Living and Working in Barcelona which really saved the day.

I can imagine other parts of Spain are even harder than Barcelona as it's a very international hub
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