What is a job search permit?
The student job search visa is a residence permit granted to non-EU citizens who have completed their studies in Spain so that they can extend their stay in the country for an additional year. This time is granted so that they can find a job or create their own company. Until now, foreign students were only allowed to reside legally in Spain until they finished their studies or until the date of their card expired. Holding a student visa allowed you to stay in the country only for that period of time. However, after the reform, all this changed.
What are the main benefits of the residence permit for students who want to find a job?
- With this visa you will be allowed to stay for a maximum of 12 months to find a job or start your own business project. You will have to start the process 60 days before or 90 days after finishing your studies in Spain.
- As with the student visa, which allows you to bring your spouse or children and have them stay legally with you, the same applies here. Family members who have accompanied the student and who apply for this visa will have their residence linked (all the time) to the holder of the main authorization (the foreign student in Spain). Therefore, they can also stay with you in Spain for another year on the job seeker visa.
- The entire application is done telematically.
- The application process is quite fast, taking a maximum of 20 days to obtain the resolution.
Can I work in Spain with the job search permit?
No, you cannot work in Spain with the residence permit to look for work. This visa is the bridge to get a work permit. So once you find a job offer, you will have to start the full legal procedure to formalize it. But even if you cannot work with this visa, it is a necessary step to be able to do so later.
What happens once you find a job? Change from student to residence and work
With the job search visa you will have 12 months to find a job in Spain. But what happens if you find it?
Basically, you will have to change your residence permit for job search into a residence and work permit. But there are two different possibilities: you can start working in a company, or you can create your own.
