Chipmonk

I think you need to consider the reality of the situation. You are a young family and will therefore need to be accruing a good income whilst you are still young and ambitious. Moving to a foreign country without fluency in the language is like trying to be a footballer with no legs. You simply wont get any real work. Of course people will say you can work in bars, clean pools etc but the reality is the pay is way to low to support a family. There are thousands of people tiling floors etc and their labour is so cheap it will shock you. Plus Spanish workers haved enough English to get foreigners. I really suggest hunkering down in uk and looking after your family and enjoying the support and company of friends. Spain is in reality a very different place to thd one you are possibly imagining

Retired in Euskadi

Many people on this forum will talk about high unemployment etc in Spain. Whilst it is relatively true, it's not everywhere the same. My wife is Basque, hence we retired to the Basque country, which has a much better employment rate than elsewhere in Spain, particularly better than places like the Costa del Sol, which is full of expats from all over Europe & not to everybody's liking. I can stand it for about a week!!!!
The north of Spain might offer you a better choice and it's not all wet, dismal, overcast etc. We get around 1200mm rainfall annually, but also hot summers, sometines touching nearly 40C on several days.
The Basque country is more expensive property-wise than say Andalucia, but Asturias & Galicia are cheaper.
Your 7 yr old should quickly lap up the Spanish language; your 10 year old too, though with perhaps more reluctance!
The fact that you are both 32, in other words young, indicates that you think differently to say a 55-60 year old who is more cautious! Problems that they see are your opportunities.
Do not, however, sever all ties with the UK. Keep your bank accounts & even a property if that's feasible. Rent here first, before buying.
Other than that, best wishes.

dmu

Hi, you say "partner". Whether you're buying or renting, the fact of not being legally bound will complicate things, you'll be considered as unrelated joint-owners or -tenants, with all that this involves.
As said, if you're self-employed, you'd have to set up a Spanish business structure, even if you work from home via internet/phone. But at least you would have heathcare coverage for yourself and your children once it's set up and you're contributing into the System. AFAIK your unrelated partner wouldn't be covered and he would have to sort out his own healthcare coverage depending on his employment status. I can't comment on his work prospects in Spain, but he would have faced high competition from qualified French floor layers or tilers, if you had chosen France.
As for your children, 10 is approaching the "bad" age for moving to a foreign country, and your elder child might be advised to do last-year Primary and get used to the Spanish system, rather than be thrown in at the deep end in Secondary, without adequate knowledge of Spanish Grammar and Spanish Culture (History, Literature,....) and without friends. On the other hand, your younger child shouldn't have problems picking up the language and culture and would be well prepared when it's time to go up to Secondary school..
Sorry not to be optimistic, but you must research all aspects of moving to the Continent (including what will happen after Brexit).
Fore-warned is fore-armed!

Dxf

Hola

I live in the Costa de la Luz; unemployment here is around 30% and that keeps wages LOW. i'd suggest 10€ an hour and maybe less. Most ex-pats are or have already headed home. Renting a property say 300-500€ a month. Self employed costs around 400€ a month whether you have work or not. Many people here only work "in the season" July and August. There's a number of husbands that work in the ÚK while the wife and children stay here. How would that fit your plan? They don't do it because they want to - it is because they have to do it to make ends meet - and it doesn't always work.

For your children's sake I would say don't do it. The education system here doesn't "grow" children. They will be taught parrot fashion and everything is regimented. They will be better off in the UK system. I understand it is hard on you and yes the life here is more relaxed even if the hours are long. I've been here 17 years and love it BUT i came here with more than sufficient money to last until my pensions cut in, and i was lucky with inflation etc. I haven't had to dig deep into my savings ---- yet.

By all means ask away - I'm happy to answer "as it is"

Davexf

bob_bob

To successfully move to any country whether it be Spain or Australia et al you need some money, language skills and most importantly 'needed skills' and floor layers are just not needed enough to tip the balance of putting the move in your favour. To give your children a good start means an International School and that will set you back £16K+ p.a. so you need to earn over £300 a week just to cover education costs. Think long and hard before jumping in...its not always sunny in Spain.

Moses2013

I wouldn't argue about that and it's just behind Madrid or Catalonia when it comes to employment and a lot of people forget about this area. A lot will depend what type of job and according to data" Most jobs available are in industry, construction, trade and services fields. Those having strong language skills are more likely to be hired in the tourism, hospitality and catering fields". The thing is that most Brits looking to move to Spain want Britain in the sun. It's certainly an option for people interested in the culture and who want amazing scenery on their doorstep and I always say it's a cheaper alternative to New Zealand, but the challenges remain. I know quite a few people from Galicia here in Ireland and the big problem for them is the lack of jobs in IT and the pay is not always great over there either. Some even say that they would never want to work for a Spanish employer again. Apparently they are planning a new ferry service between Cork and Vigo which will be good for both sides. One always forgets how big Spain is though and the drive from Vigo to Girona would be over 11 hrs.

Retired in Euskadi

You're right what you say.
I get the impressión that most people on this forum live along one of the various Costas and so see things from that part of the world. But like you also say, many Brits want Britain with sun. Fine if you have a regular income.
But at least up here we tend not to get the 'booze cruisers'. And we're close to France for a day trip even.

Barriej

Hi. We are moving later this year but are in a different situation to you.

We are 57 and 56 and my wife's father has lived in Spain for the last 15 or so years. We have visited at least twice every year. Mainly in the winter months but also in Summer the last few years.
Last year we finally decided to buy somewhere and ended up with a flat in a small village about 3km from the father in law. We know the area well and we already have a social network, so we can fit in quite quickly. My Spanish is rubbish and I feel the best way to learn will be full immersion (although there are post it notes on everything in the house and we have small conversations on a regular basis)

We don't need to work but I can if I wish (I work for a multi national based in Italy and I can work for the Spanish arm if I want) but we are going to give retirement a go. I know very few expats (immigrants) in the area we are moving to who have good jobs and those that do speak very good Spanish, most are bar workers or villa cleaners (although even they are being priced out due to the amount of South Americans in the local area) and can only find work from other expats.

We didn't move 15 years ago mainly due to the ages of the kids and I was earning more than I could in Spain (in fact more than in mainland europe at the time) You have to factor in the 'free' healthcare in the Uk, child benefits, language and paperwork systems in your home country. And I could not have dragged my kids away to another country just because I could.

As to your situation, only you can make the final decision. BUT. Think about it as negatively as possible.
Also you don't mention if you have spent any time in Spain.

I watch those stupid programs about people moving to Aus when they have never even been there. HOW can you want to do that?
I would love to live on the moon but its possibly no more a stupid idea than Aus. And Ive been to Australia my daughter lives there, but she went back packing for a year and never came back to the UK (see I never said home). I don't and have never considered anywhere we have lived as home.

1. The kids will be uprooted from their normal activities.
2. The kids won't pick up the language (only they can say if they will, you unfortunately cannot make this comment) I know one lad who lives near where the flat is and he has hardly any Spanish and once he finishes school he is moving back to the Uk to his grand parents (he been in Spain since he was 11 and e is 15 now)
3. Your partner may not (won't) get a job or if he does , it might end up being in a bar at €5 an hour. Can you cope with this?
4. Summer is nice, but have you seen the weather in the Costa Blanca at the moment. (our flat is about 7km from a village that gets cut off every year due to snow) yet in the summer its 34c.
5. You will need money in the bank in Spain, private health care, certified copies of your marriage cert, the kids birth certificates.
6. If you go the self employed (Autonomo) the payments for your stamp start at €53 a month then go to #184 in months 12 -18 then up to €250 a month after. you pay this even if you don't earn a penny.
7. After the 31st Dec 2020 UK citizens will become 3rd country and will have to obtain a visa to move to Spain. Details are thin on the ground but if you search for Australian visa for moving to Spain, you will get some idea.
8. ALSO after dec 2020 if you are resident in Spain and your kids want to go back to the Uk they won't get benefits or free (or reduced university tuition) as they will no longer be Uk resident. Although there may be some variation here.

Some of the above is just conjecture as I (or anyone) does not know what will happen on the 1st Jan 2021.

I would suggest you write a list detailing all the things you have now and then search and see if these are available in Spain.


Our plan is to move, learn Spanish and enjoy the country. Im not going to stop being English. Im going to extend my horizons.

I wish you luck but you have to do your research properly, also get the kids to do the same. By all means spend some time looking around and make sure its not just in the summer (as I guarantee the kids will think of it as a long holiday) not a fact finding trip.

scot47

"Floor-layer" with no Spanish working in Spain ? With a family to support ? Sorry but I cannot see how that adds up.