Linken1647

I am hoping to move to Spain at the end of this year, beginning of next subject to everything going through with the house sale ok.
Are there job centres in Spain like we have in the UK or Recruitment Agencies like we have in the UK? What are the normal channels for finding work in Spain? I am hoping to continue with my UK employment from home in Spain, but if this falls through I will need to find something. Hubby will need to find something anyway. We are looking to relocate to Adra but could drive to work within the area. I have a good command of Spanish. My husband doesn't speak any. Hubby is a fabricator/welder and I am in Group Air Management for a conference and incentive trav el agency.

rugbymatt

Spain is a good one to talk to about this kind of thing, she hasn't been on for a while, just search her name and read some of her posts.

lcortez

Good standard of Spanish is essential to compete for jobs via jobcentre and newspaper etc.However,heres a great website for all kinds of work,www.wemploy.com,if link doesnt work just type in Wemploy,they have jobs that dont all require Spanish as is aimed at the expat market.They seem to mostly cover CDS.Good luck

Joe King

Unless your Spanish is excellent, you won't find work beyond the ex-pat community easily. In fact unemployment in Spain is rising fast with a possible recession just around the corner because of the property downturn.

spain

Hi, have a look here

you may find employment difficult without Spanish but good luck anyway

spain

no not been on so much lately what with one thing and another just been too busy - so will have soooooooooo much to catch up on

tim hortons man

just an important note on wages. Unless your very specialized don't plan on making much more than a 1100 month particularly if you work in the services sector. That's the average wage. Not sure how anyone can live here as salary is so low.

Joe King

That's a very important point that a lot of Brits overlook when coming to Spain - hence most people who come here looking for work (especially with families to support) return to the UK within a few years.

Average wages are very low here - even in specialist areas such as IT.

It actually didn't used to be so bad because the cost of living was low, but in the last 2-3 years the price of everything - especially food - has just kept going up and up.

The sad thing is a lot of Brits I know out here are living in squalid housing and below the poverty line. They barely make ends meet.

andyrich666

Very Depressing thread this one, I going to have put my 2 penneth in, I see many Brits in Spain driving round in X5's, Range Rover's, Disco's even Hummer's, It cant be all bad, just be confident, the more rampers who put you down just makes you feel bad.

Joe King

Of course you see them. I'm not saying every ex-pat out here is struggling, but a lot more are than care to admit it.

There are plenty of wealthy Brits here, but those driving Range Rovers, etc., certainly aren't working out here for the average wage.

And how many more do you see driving about in old British registered cars - cars that shouldn't be on the road in Spain let alone the UK as they have no tax, MOT (and presumably no valid insurance either). Why do you think that is?

The poster asked about the availability of work. If I said you will be fine, driving about in a Hummer in no time, I would be lying. We can all watch Place In The Sun and dream the dream. But for it to work we have to face the reality. It's horrible watching families struggle for a few years and then having to return home.

Another point. The first language on much of the Costa Blanca is not Spanish. It is Valencian. Other regions of Spain have their own language too. An extra hurdle to getting work that few appreciate until they arrive here.

andyrich666

Its good that you point out people should face reality before they make the move, I do know people who live on the breadline there, but they wont have it back here, In fact I remember my neighbour saying about how he is poor here living in poverty compared to others and He is now living in Spain where he said he would rather be poor there at least he has the Sun. I guess many people see it that way aswell.

I want to make the move and every time I see a negative post it just get's to me that is all, ill probably be coming out in one of them British car's, lol

A lot of people say that the average wage is poor, Its a hard thing to say really because Spain is such a vast country, it more down to sector and area to compile it. The wage is not poor, the Nat.Av Wage according to the Spanish IR is about 22k for 2006, this is more than the 1100 posted above.

Joe King

Yes that is true and wages do vary by area - as does the cost of living.

It's a bit like the UK where the average wage is supposedly 21k, but the majority earn less than that (in many northern towns in England the average wage is 14k for example including Middlesbrough where we are from).

One big difference with Spain is that the Spanish rely heavily on their extended families. This means lower wages go a lot further. Brits coming out here don't have that safety net.

The sun is a two way thing too! Some days you hate it because it is simply too hot to do anything - and worse when you have to work! It also means air conditioning is a must for parts of the year, but that doesn't come cheap.

I didn't mean to put a downer on your own plans. We made the move and love it and you probably will too. Everyone has to find out for themselves whether it is right for them.

But there has been a big change in Spain over the last 2-3 years and I don't think many people back in the UK who come out here for holidays, etc., appreciate them.

The volume of Eastern Europeans coming has changed the nature of many towns (as did the arrival of so many Brits so nothing against them). The cost of living has risen faster than anywhere in Western Europe. Unemployment is rising too. And more people have been going back to the UK than have been arriving (that has it's good points too!) - and that means saying goodbye to a lot of good friends.

spain

agree, agree, agree

if they are driving Range Rovers and alike - more than likey they are retired or earning from "other" means and dont see any round here, probably more Brit populated areas I suppose

I think the key is to be realistic - cost of living is not as cheap as it was and some things can be more expensive BUT Im not going to harp on about the negatives and get slated for it AGAIN as there are lots of positives to living in Spain. Its very interesting listening to people who dont yet live in Spain, how their opinions change once they have lived here a year or two

All the families we have met in the 5 years we have been here have all returned mainly because they are unable to find enough work to sustain living here - thats fact

GOOD LUCK to anyone who comes to live here just be prepared because its not all sun, sea and sangria ( I wish )

and yes you also have to consider the language(s) - Valenciano is spoken in many many places and even nowadays some Spaniards we met cant speak "Spanish" which I find astonishing

anyway, happy saturday all - from a grey and wet Spain

montgomail

Did your friend move to Raunds in Northants?

lcortez

I think it is quite true to say that well paid work is quite hard to come by in Spain,its diff enough for Spaniards,let alone expats,a lot of contracts initialy are temp for 6mths trial period,at the end of this the employee is laid of & another temp steps inThis is done mainly to avoid the entitlements given to perm employees in Spain.
My advice as a Spaniard,with relatives in Spain who have to compete in this job market,is this:unless you are FLUENT in Spanish,orally,reading,writing,with qualifications that are in demand in Spain,your best chance of a good living in Spain is to follow an increasing no of Spaniards & become self employed,or set up a business
This is the advice my relatives gave me when they heard I wanted to move to Spain.Dont mean to be negative just practical,been self employed my whole working life,can't understand why anyone wants to work for someone else anyway