Domino

one really lasting memory of Seville was the men pushing carts round the city looking for and picking up scrap metal.

wonder if any were Brits

agoreira

I can understand people wanting to move to Spain for a better lifestyle, moving with a good job well paid job guaranteed, or simply to retire with enough cash to be able to do it comfortably, but not to take jobs they would probably never even consider doing in UK. Bar work, cleaning, great. Am I missing something?

jojojojojo

Well that certainly isnt my idea of a better quality of life/lifestyle! Poor pay, long hours, no job security, no ss benefits, tax credits, child allowance.......

Jo xxx

Fred James

They want to move to Spain as it's nice and sunny and the wine is cheap.

Anyone with any grain of intelligence would reject Spain as a work opportunity. The qualified Spanish are moving out of the country in droves to find employment - some to South America and a lot to Germany.

I can understand the reasons why people in the UK might want to go elsewhere to work but to Spain? Don't they read the papers or listen to the news - you can hardly avoid hearing about the problems.

When you hear that over 50% of the young people are unemployed why would anyone think its a good idea to join them?

So many of the people who seem to want to make the move have no real skills (I am happy to work in a bar - haha) and certainly don't speak Spanish.

Look at the articles in the UK press (yes not totally representative but a good indication) of all the thousands of Expats returning to the UK because they have no work and cannot maintain their mortgage payments. Surely that might give these wanabees a clue? Apparently not.

And when they come onto this forum seeking advice and get the negative responses (aka truth) they go off in a huff!

Rant over.

Domino

No, rant is necessary.
Why is it always "I want to open a bar", "I'll do anything, work in a bar, restaurant" ??
Have they really got no skills and think that it is easy working in a bar, letalone owning/running one (ask our resident expert about that one)
Perhaps they pulled a few pints in the Uni bar and it has given them first class honours along with pulling fellow students. Nowadays you can probably get a certificate for one or the other - or both.

Can't we put up a sign saying !50% unemployment in Spain! when they visit the site??

megmet

A very good and truthful post Fred, though sadly the wannabees will just say we are all being negative about it all.
They don't seem to understand or even believe that Spain is not the same as the nanny state they have spent all their life in, no social security benefits to fall back on here when it all goes pear shaped...as it surely will.

If things had been this way years ago when we all moved here I don't think any of us would have even contemplated the move.
Spain is a wonderful country to retire to if you have a good pension and a decent amount of savings, but right now if you need to make a living I couldn't think of a much worse place to be!

EllisG

Pop back to the UK with a few mates to do a bank or a sub post office then return to spain to find a spot in the corner of a bar eating cheap greasy food and developing an alcohol problem like so many other Brits in the sun

jojojojojo

I think its simply down to the misguided idea that in Spain you can just do a bit of work, earn enough to live on cos its thought of as cheap and enjoy the sun. It may have been like that a few years ago, but now spain expects its residents to pay taxes and its no longer cheap and carefree.

I think people in the UK get bogged down with the bad news, the cost of living, the rat race, the weather, the taxes and the nanny state - they want the simple life. Spain doesnt offer "the simple life" anymore. And if they did but know it, that "nanny state" will be such a safety net, when their dream in Spain doesnt work out

Jo xxx

Domino

agree Meg, the wannabees see us out here and think it will be ok for them - not understanding the problems we are having to overcome to remain here. Some are still here because they can't sell their house at any price, letalone drag themselves out of negative equity.

all I can say is - ok guys, come here, do what you want but dont expect any help when it goes pear shaped - we have enough of our own problems.

Zaragozaram

jackytoo

The moving threads aren't helped by a couple of posters claiming there are lots of jobs around, even in Marbella

Domino

don't remember that - who was it ??

didnt think people did such common things such as "work" in Marbella

nogard

Hi Jo,

Dos one require healthcare provision to retire to Spain?

Fred James

Yes the new rules insist that you must have full health cover and proof of sufficient income.

If you are of UK retirement age that the health issue shouldn't be a problem if you have the DWP Form S1.

It has been covered at some length on this recent thread

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=757881

If you need more information please post on that thread.

jojojojojo

Even if there were jobs around (Marbella?????? hhhmm!!), they have to be "proper"jobs with contracts, or you have to take the risk of becoming an autonomo (260€ a month) or you wont be able to become a resident

Jo xxx