Is there work for me in Spain if I don’t speak Spanish yet? YES! With the arrival of Dutch and other large international companies in Spain, many new jobs have been created in business services in the last 5 years! You can read about how this works and where you can find the jobs in this blog.

But first, some general information about its labor market, which is essential in your preparation.

It is good to know that the Spanish labor market differs from the Dutch one. Keep this in mind to avoid disappointment.

A striking difference is the income; assume that the salary you will earn in Spain is about half of a comparable profession in the Netherlands. This almost always applies if you work for a Spanish employer. But it can be different, you can also read about that in this blog!

The working hours are also different. If you work for a Spanish employer, it is customary for the lunch break to last 2 hours, often even longer in the South, so you can speak of a Siesta. Olé Siesta! Well…it just depends on how you look at it, the hours that you don’t work in the afternoon are simply added in the evening and that’s how you close the door behind you at around 8 p.m. or later. A 9-5 work rhythm is simply not the standard in Spain; business appointments after 7 p.m. are quite common. These are 2 characteristics to take into account, along with the fact that a Spanish employer almost always requires you to have a good command of Spanish….

Good News!

And now the good news, there are many Dutch employers in Spain who consciously recruit Dutch people to work in cities such as Valencia, Alicante, Málaga and Madrid. These are usually positions with “Dutch working hours”, the possibility to work (partly) from home and with a salary that is between the Dutch and Spanish level. Speaking Spanish is not necessary, a good command of Dutch and/or English is sufficient. And then working in Spain becomes interesting again! Especially knowing that the cost of living in Spain is considerably lower than in the Netherlands, and we haven’t even talked about the climate😊

What Kind of Jobs are there in Spain?

There are many jobs in business services, such as sales positions, customer service, online gaming, ICT, and tourism. In addition, there are many Dutch and international startups in Spain that are constantly looking for talent. For an overview, it is a good idea to take a look at the website of Yobbers.

Yobbers is a Dutch recruiter based in Valencia that has a range of vacancies throughout Spain. Large Dutch companies such as Rabobank, Odido and Menzis have outsourced part of their customer service to Spain. Where it is almost impossible to find people for this in the Netherlands, it is a lot easier in Spain. Apparently, Dutch people do want to do this work there if the sun shines almost every day and the employer does its best to keep you satisfied and ensure a “soft landing” in Spain.

Recently, EURES advisor Gordon Moir met with Yource in Valencia to learn more about their success. Because it remains remarkable that they employ 800 Dutch people in Spain and have only been based here since 2019. Employee satisfaction at Yource is high, according to figures. Where in an average Dutch customer contact center approximately 95% of the new employees have left after one year, that is only 56% at Yource in Spain. The difference, according to People & Recruitment Manager Mariska van der Staaij, lies in a number of factors:

“Yource understands well what the candidate who is going to do this work finds important. After Belgium, Spain is the most favorite country for Dutch people to emigrate to. Why not move part of the work to Spain? But it is more than just the location. Emigrating or temporarily working from another country is a big step for everyone. We understand that and sometimes that step is too big. In the introductory meetings, we therefore always pay attention to whether someone is self-reliant and, for example, has a financial buffer. Because starting again in another country requires independence and perseverance. Of course, we help our candidates as much as possible. Working at Yource in Spain starts with a 2-day onboarding program in which we accommodate candidates in a hotel at our expense and provide them with all the necessary information about working and living in Spain. This way, candidates know what the Spanish tax authorities expect from them, they receive information on how to find a home and help with applying for a NIE number. Of course, attention is also paid to the content of the work and getting to know colleagues “. This is of great importance, because these new colleagues” s are often the beginning of a new network in Spain. That’s why we also create a team feeling by organizing regular activities.

We also remain involved with our Members throughout their career at Yource. We do this by conducting regular MX (Member Experience) interviews and with sufficient attention and coaching we know what is going on with our members and we try to help them in their development and personal happiness in a timely manner. Finally, it is important that we, together with our Partners, offer the possibility to work (partly) remotely. We see that this is often a wish of our candidates and we are happy to give them that flexibility. It is then not always necessary to live in the big city such as Valencia or Alicante, but the smaller places on the Costa Blanca are also among the possibilities to settle. For our client in Málaga, for example, you only have to come to the office for training and return days, that really gives flexibility! And when the working day is over…….the sun almost always shines. All the above factors really make the difference and ensure that an employee is bound to us for longer”.

The Benefits According to EURES of Working in Business Services in Spain.

A job in, for example, customer service may not be everyone’s ideal. But it is an easy and promising way to start in Spain, according to EURES Advisor Gordon Moir:

“It’s also not about you staying in customer service for the rest of your working life. An employer doesn’t expect that either. But in the, for example, 2 years that you work for a customer service, you have the opportunity to discover the Spanish labor market and discover what your dream job in Spain is. Or maybe you want to start your own business? This job time gives you the opportunity to really discover Spain, its culture, its labor market by, for example, networking. Because networking in Spain is even more important than in the Netherlands. Moreover, you can learn the language in the meantime and you will see that the better you speak the language, the more doors will open for you. And that’s how your puzzle pieces fall into place by themselves”.

The Services of EURES

Would you like to discuss your options for working and living in Spain? Please contact EURES without obligation via werkenineuropa@uwv.nl