Job Discussion Forums

frijolita · Joined: 06 May 2004 Posts: 35 Location: Madrid

Hi,

Just wondering if any Guatemalans can tell me if they are working in Spain. I wanted to know if you had to go through the same process as all non-EU people for jobs or if you were able to find work just like those who hold EU passports. I called the Spanish Consulate and they were not helpful and unclear.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Ciao!
Frijolita

CharlesTESOL · Joined: 06 Jul 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Barcelona, Spain

I'm not Guatemalan, but I have a friend here who is. Guatemalans, like any other non-EU citizens, have to go through the lengthy work permit process: get a job offer approved by the Spanish labor department first, then process the permit request thru the Spanish embassy in your home country or country of legal residence -- so, if you are a legal resident of the USA you could do it there. I believe the minimum amount of time the process takes is about 3 to 6 months. It took longer for me -- about 9 months! Another option might be to sign-up to study in Spain for a course lasting longer than 3 months, which could allow you to get a student visa, which MAY be processed a LITTLE quicker. I believe that with a student visa you would be able to work 20 hours a week. Of course, in order to get a legal job you'd probably need visa of more than 3 months, so it'd be best to take a course that lasts a year or so.