Visa and residency requirements
Visas[edit]
Schengen Visa[edit]
The Schengen visa allows non-EU citizens to stay up to 90 days within a 180-day period to any country in the Schengen Area (a zone of 29 European countries, including Spain) for tourism, business, visiting family, or medical treatment.
Student Visa[edit]
For non-EU residents attending a course or study program an accredited institution in Spain (university, language school, etc.). Often allows part-time work (up to 30 hours/week).
Work Visa[edit]
For employment in Spain. You need a signed job offer, and the position should appear on Spain’s “shortage occupation list”.
Self-Employed Work Visa[edit]
For people who want to open a business or work independently in Spain. Requires a business plan and proof of financial means.
Non-Lucrative Visa[edit]
For those who can prove sufficient financial means without working in Spain. Common for retirees or digital nomads with passive income. Requires proof of sufficient funds.
Digital Nomad Visa[edit]
Introduced in 2023. For remote workers employed by non-Spanish companies who wish to live in Spain.
Entrepreneur Visa[edit]
Specifically for innovative business founders. You must show your project is of “special economic interest” to Spain.
Highly Qualified Professional (HQP) Visa[edit]
Spain's Highly Qualified Professional (HQP) Visa is for non-EU citizens with a job offer from a Spanish company for a qualified position, allowing them to work and reside in Spain. To The visa offers benefits like fast processing, the ability to apply from within Spain, family integration, and the potential to apply for permanent residency after five years.
Golden Visa[edit]
The Spanish "Golden Visa" gave residency to non-EU citizens in exchange for a significant investment in Spain, such as a property purchase of €500,000 or more, or a €1 million investment in other areas like company shares or government bonds. The visa was abolished on 3 April 2025.
Residency[edit]
A Spanish residence permit is an official document for non-EU citizens. It allows you to live in Spain for up to 5 years (Temporary) or indefinitely (Long-Term, after 5 years of legal temporary residency).[1]
Job shortages in Girona[edit]
Spain has a document called the catálogo de ocupaciones de difícil cobertura which is a list of professions whose vacancies are difficult to fill. The list is sorted by city. The following are a list of jobs in Girona that are on that list. (Most job shortages in Girona are maritime or ship-related professions for some reason.)
Maritime and ship professions[edit]
- Marine refrigeration technicians (frigoristas navales)
- Chief engineers (merchant ship) (jefes de máquinas de buque mercante)
- Marine engineers / ship’s engine operators (maquinistas navales)
- Marine mechanics (mecánicos navales)
- Coastal mechanics (mecánicos de litoral)
- Ship engine oilers (engrasadores de máquinas de barcos)
- Boilermakers (maestranzas) (caldereteros)
- Merchant ship pilots (pilotos de buques mercantes)
- Boatswains / deck bosuns (contramaestres de cubierta)
- Deck sailors (marineros de cubierta)
- Deckhands / ship deck assistants (mozos de cubierta)
- Ship cooks (cocineros de barco)
- Ship waiters (camareros de barco)
- Ship stewards / chief stewards (mayordomos de buque)
- Passenger ship assistants / stewards (auxiliares de buques de pasaje)
- Ship pursers / chief stewards (sobrecargos de buques)
- Radio-electronic officers (merchant navy) (oficiales radioelectrónicos)
- Specialized ship firefighters (bomberos de buques especializados)
Other professions[edit]
- Sports professions
- Professional athletes (deportistas profesionales)
- Sports coaches (entrenadores deportivos)
- Electrical and construction professions
- Electrical installers for buildings and homes (instaladores electricistas de edificios y viviendas)
- General electricians (instaladores electricistas, en general)
- Metalwork and carpentry professions
- Aluminum, metal, and PVC carpenters (carpinteros de aluminio, metálico y PVC)
- Metal, aluminum, and PVC carpentry assemblers (montadores de carpintería metálica, aluminio y PVC)
- Crane and heavy equipment operators
- Truck-mounted crane operators (conductores-operadores de grúa en camión)
- Fixed crane operators (conductores-operadores de grúa fija)
- Mobile crane operators (conductores-operadores de grúa móvil)
