Apple1

Hi Everyone,

Im thinking of moving from the uk to spain i have not chosen a region as of yet but im wondering what would be the best location for me as a 40 year old male. Im also thinking of driving over with my 4x4 so i can lodge inside it until i can get set up fully. Can any advise any input you tink i may need please for this move is it easier to drive via france or to ferry direct to santander etc etc.Also what would be my chances of finding work out there i can pretty much put my hand to anything i currently run andown my own landscape garden services bussiness with success for 6 years now.

regards

mikelincs

My concern with what you say is that you do not say anything about your Spanish expertise, if you do not speak Spanish fairly fluently then you are likely to have big problems with finding work, with you 'qualifications' and I put that in inverted commas as you do not seem to really have any, then all you are likely to get a very low paid temporary jobs, if you go to an area where there are plenty of expats, then you will be competing with hundreds of others competing in a somewhat dwindling market, with Brexit looming and people being very uncertain as to their future in Spain, the number of expats may well become a lot less. You also need to have healthcare covered and prove a certain amount of funds to allow you to become official, if you did start up as self employed remember Spain loves it's red tape, and you would be paying an amount every month to be self employed even if you earned nothing. If you have no ties to the UK, and sufficient funds to last a year or so and to pay to have your vehicle re registered there, then go for it, but do NOT sever ties too the UK, ensure you do have a bolthole to get back to if everything doesn't work out.

Apple1

ok thank you i have 20 grand savings in cash hopefully that may set me up and ill be looking for a half and half area to live in half english half spanish i speak basic spanish and i wont be looking for self employment ill be looking for employed what is te basic wage in spain please ?

Moses2013

Basic will depend where you are and what you do. Many people are happy to earn €1000 a month, or to have a job at all.


Like in any country most work is in the city. As a landscape gardener you obviously work where you get a job but plenty of competition in that area too. You'd have to focus on areas (climate) where people actually have gardens that need landscaping, or grass to be cut.

mikelincs

No idea over basic wage, but you will need to ensure that your job has a legal contract to ensure that you will qualify for the Spanish Healthcare system. Please be aware that unemployment in Spain is very much higher than it is in the UK, and to get the better jobs I'm afraid that your Spanish might well have to be better than basic. Some idea of the type of job you want would be helpful, remember that a lot of the lower paid jobs are 'on the black' with no coverage for social security payments, but just 'cash in hand' and many of these go to relatives of the owners, there is a lot more of the 'who you know/are related to' in Spain than the UK

Apple1

ok thanks for the advice im actually looking at taking a u turn on my job and searching for more simple work like a supermarket something like that i should find that anywhere right

Moses2013

I doubt you'll find it easier working in a supermarket. Again lots of Spanish people wanting any kind of work. The higher paying supermarkets have many applicants and otherwise just temp contracts with low pay.

Apple1

ok wow it sounds promising then lol

Apple1

but thanks for your honest thoughts and input its better then having flase hope hey

Moses2013

As always it's not impossible but if you look at the world today, it's very hard to make a living with non skilled employment and even working in a supermarket you need skills.

mikelincs

also you will be unlikely to get a wage that will allow you to live well, most people working in supermarkets will be one of a couple earning, and/or living at home so they have no home related expenses, and this is the norm in Spanish families.

Apple1

aww i see thank you ... im wondering what kind of work i should look for i mean ill have no overheads at all only desiel costs because ill be living in my 4x4 until i feel settled and wanting to commit to a rental scary i know i dont know if im crazy for doing this. im thinking warm sun sea baths bbq meals sounds fun. but really am i using common sense here or just living wild ?

Apple1

i have just gone trough a bad breakup you see so i dont know if im thinking logicail maybe i should ease of and think about things more clear before i jump in

mikelincs

I really suspect you have extremely rose tinted glasses on here, for one thing you will NOT be allowed to live in your 4x4 even on an campsite, you will, almost certainly need a physical address to get any sort of official documentation, even private healthcare.

Apple1

ok thanks