We came here with a view to starting up a business as a sister company to the business my husband has already in the UK, however, the recession hit just after we arrived and my husband decided that it wasnt a good time to expand so he commutes. A week in Spain and ten days in the UK. I stay here with the kids - luckily we didnt sell our house in the UK, so he has a base there. After being here for 3 years, I finally found work doing telesales, so for now I have an income

Jo xxx

I would think that the majority of expats come to retire, free prescriptions and free health care is not available to everyone but it is to pensioners.

A lot came over with a business in mind, some have made it and others lost their investments and have since returned home to the UK.

We came back "home" to Spain, with a lot more advantages that others did not have, both of us could speak the language, had property, ready made business interests in Spain, and also have an income from the UK, no children to put through school (grown ups) and came for the right reason, which was to live in Spain, and not just desperate to leave the UK.

We came because we retired early (10 years early in my case) and had enough capital from the sale of our UK property, savings and an inheritance to fund our living expenses until our pensions become payable. We had bought a house here in Spain 3 years previously, for use as a holiday home initially but with a view to moving over permanently as soon as we could. Although I would have loved to move sooner, there was no way I would do it until I was sure that we would be able to manage without needing to look for work, I would endorse 100% what other forum members have said about the difficulty of finding anything at all, let alone a job with a permanent contract, in this climate. We have seen quite a few British people in area go back since late 2006 when we moved, and also know more than one couple who are still here but literally living from hand to mouth - not my idea of a good time. One woman I know has been in severe pain from toothache for several weeks now but says she cannot afford to go to a dentist (but strangely enough she is still to be seen drinking copious amounts of wine outside a local bar practically every afternoon!)

We had to budget for 8 years of private health insurance to bridge the gap between our 2-year entitlement to cover under the Spanish health system running out, and becoming eligible for public health cover again when our UK state pensions become payable.

We came to Spain to refurbish and sell our small village house to buy a mobile home in the U K for our retirement - my husband had cancer which is now in remission and was concerned about the health care. We have improved the house,with the help of our Spanish builder neighbour and had a new roof, a small pool, new bathroom and we now have our residencia, our car has been re registered to Spanish plates, we are in the health system - of which so far we have only heard good things and have taken to the Spanish people and way of life, incidently I do feel it is much harder to remember the Spanish words but it is fun trying - although even some English ones can be elusive at times anyway. Luckily we can see our family almost as much as we did in the U.K. so it is from us and hope you can make it some time soon.

We came to Spain together, having previously sampled it separately, for many years. It was dead easy for us, we had the language, a few bob, and were in love with the place anyway.

We're still in love with the place, that will never change; when I switch on in the morning it's Sky News first, then the Spanish news, and other news from around the world if I can be bothered.

We both come from east London, and used to love the place, but it's turned into a shithole.

Early retired....but most importantly, imho, we had a regular income from my husband's Teachers' Pension. I really feel it is SO important to know you have a regular income, even if it is only small. You can at least put food on the table.

Also remember that if you work as autonomo (self-employed), you will have to pay about 250 euros a month national insurance for your Healthcare and Pension .

Pesonally I think its your only option if you want to carry on being a sparky with a resonable salary

I am a sparky lived here for 7 years, never really had any problem finding work for expats.

Problem is you find that you compete for jobs with anyone (cowboy) not necessarily trained as an electrician, unless you are registered with the authorities. Fortunately for me I had another income (bar) which helped pay the bills. And of course the cowboys often cock the job up, 85% of my work when I first arrived was putting right other peoples mistakes, which of course enhanced my reputation and means that my customers know they will only pay once for the job to be done, and don’t mind paying a little extra.

I have been through the process of working for a Spanish company and getting registered with the authorities (which took me 6 years). I do however have work now whilst many people haven’t.

One thing is having another income from your bar while you were building up the sparks business, which helped a lot to keep body and sould together, I presume.

But I am sure that most tradesmen who come and try to make a living do not have the luxury of being a bar owner moonlighting as an electricain, so the newbies at the game could quite possibly starve to deathe while waiting to establish themselves and get work, especially in this economic climate.

And six years to get legalised must be a record, especially if you are an EU citizen.

I don't think that being an EU citizen has anything to do with it.
To be able to work legally as an electricion in Spain you have to pass Spanish exams and become a registered electricion here.
Spanish wiring is completely different from the UK, here the Black wire is live!

...... and they use gaffa tape instead of junction boxes lol!!!

Jo xxx

Or at least this week it is.

Graham

I know what you are saying, but for a UK qualified electrician to become homologadifacted, seems a ridiculous amount of time to me.

Starting to be a sparks from scratch does not even take that long to do, 6 years, no way.

I have known some S.Ams who have taken a long time to get their paper work sorted due to them not being in the EU, but nowhere near six years even for doctors and dentists.

So you are calling me a liar,

You may think 6 years is a long time so do I but that’s how long it took, it does not matter the fact I am an EU citizen as the trade of electrician is regulated in Spain whereas in the UK it is not.

The second income helped as I have a family to support however it means that I work long hours 7 days a week, it’s not a case of having the luxury of a second income it’s about working hard to earn a living.

For a good tradesman it is still possible to earn a living here.

Well said. I'm reminded of the famous quote by Red Adair: