coopermeister

Hello, I am new to this forum and hoping to get some advise from those already living in Spain.

I think i have it slightly easier than most in regards to relocating. My partner and daughter are both Spanish. I have the NIE number sorted and a Spanish bank account (we started planning to move to Spain ages ago!). Also, my partner is a vet and will easily find a job wherever we live. The problem is me being the weak link!! I speak very bad Spanish and I work in a niche area of IT!! I have been looking for jobs and applying to roles when I see them but nothing bites. I realize I need to diversify or apply for a more junior role but it is not easy knowing where to look for roles that require English as a main language. I am more than happy to try something different (it's one of the main reasons we want to move) but I am just worried about not finding a job if we just up sticks (especially with a 2 year old)!

* What did others do, did you have a job before you left? (chicken and the egg I guess)
* Can anyone recommend a good job agency specializing in English language jobs? (preferably in IT but doesn't have to be).
* We are looking to move to either the North of Spain (where my partner is from), Cataluña or Valencia.
* Any advise would be appreciated!

Thank you in advance

Andy

Rosemary

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.

Rosemary

Eric S

If you're looking for IT jobs, you'll probably have more luck in Madrid or Barcelona. Especially if it needs to be English. Or perhaps, in or near Gibraltar?

- Eric S.

Notdunroamin

I wish you the very best of luck but even in a niche IT field it's hard to imagine that there can be many jobs out there for which only English is required.

For positions which say it's a requirement it must go without saying that fluent if not native Spanish is also spoken so I think until you can say that on your CV your applications are likely to continue going straight in the bin.

This may sound harsh but if a move to Spain was planned 'ages ago', and if work in your own field (or more to the point the earning potential) was germane, then not including getting up to speed in Spanish in it was a serious and now possibly game changing omission - and what better environment for that can there be than having a Spanish wife who, one sincerely hopes anyway, is already teaching the child the language?

Frankly I think until you do get your Spanish up to speed you're going to have to set your sights on something far far more basic and mundane, and of course poorly paid, but at that level you're going to find yourself in competition not only with native Spanish but also a great many other similarly linguistically challenged job seekers.

Retired in Euskadi

Where exactly might you consider when you say "North of Spain". Here in the Basque country, there are perhaps better job opportunities all things considered.

coopermeister

Oh I agree. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. However, if it wasn't for Brexit being forced on us we wouldn't be considering this move now. My partner can't claim residency here and citizenship is a 60 page document that has no guarantees (we have friends who have tried and given up). We don't want to be in a position where she's not allowed to work here anymore or the rules change suddenly (regardless of the false promises the Tories make). I can speak and read basic Spanish just not at the level needed at the moment. We have friends who have moved recently to another EU country that only requires English so there is a chance. I am trying to get up to speed but until you live in another country and immerse yourself you are never going to be "fluent". I am more than happy to lower my aims until something better comes along. Although, I expect most of the British abroad struggle with a second language!

coopermeister

We considered Asturias but know it'll be hard finding work. My partner was born in Bilbao so the Basque Country is a possibility. I'll just need to brush up on my Basque

coopermeister

We hadn't really considered Madrid to be honest but we might take a better look now.

Eric S

What about looking for the niche IT job working for a company in the UK, but allowing you to work remotely from Spain?

- Eric S.

Retired in Euskadi

Brushing up on one's Spanish is one thing, but brushing up on one's Basque takes on a huge new challenge. Our son has learnt to speak it fluently, but was young & in a total Basque work environment.
For Basque government posts, they demand a certain level of Basque.

Did your partner do her vet degree here or in UK, because if the UK, then here they might demand that it be "homologado" or officially recognised. Vet practices in the UK will be somewhat different from here of course; I was involved with farm vets, (as a client) but here there is probably more scope in the small animal area.

As others have said, it might be worth also to look at other areas in Spain.