Job Discussion Forums

[FemaleNomad]

Hi everyone-
I've been hearing that EU citizens can work legally in Spain but now I'm hearing that there are some EU citizens that still cannot work legally in Spain. Does anyone know anything about this? I have a Polish Passport/Citizenship and thought I would be able to work in Spain legally... have I been mistaken all along?

Just an FYI - I do have a BA, am also an American citizen (dual citizenship) and a CELTA (to be had in August).

Thank you!!

[spiral78]

czechs still can't. let's find out... I'd be interested whether things have changed in 2007. 2006, no way.

[CharlesTESOL]

Last year Spain did away with the labor restrictions on Polish and Czech citizens.

However, perhaps the best way to get the most accurate answer to questions about your rights as an EU citizen is to ask the EU directly -- that is, to ask either EURES or EuropeDirect.

EURES' purpose, to quote their web site, http://ec.europa.eu/eures/home.jsp?lang=en, "is to provide information, advice and recruitment/placement (job-matching) services for the benefit of workers and employers as well as any citizen wishing to benefit from the principle of the free movement of persons."

They've got a great little tool that let's you cross reference countries to see if a citizen of one EU country has restrictions regarding work in another EU country. It is at http://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?lang=en&countryId=ES&accessing=0&content=1&restrictions=1&step=1&acro=free

Europe Direct is the EU's HelpLine for EU Citizens and Residents. The web site is at http://ec.europa.eu/europedirect/index_en.htm. There you can find a form to fill out to email questions. Or you can call EuropeDirect toll free from within the EU on 00 800 67 89 10 11.

Buena suerte,

[grahamb]

Make Charles' posting a sticky, Dave.

[FemaleNomad]

Thanks guys. I will check them out those sites this weekend and if I find the answer I will post it.

Thank you!!

[FemaleNomad]

As per this website: http://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?acro=free&lang=en&countryId=ES&fromCountryId=PL&accessing=0&content=1&restrictions=1&step=2


Spain has cancelled all its restrictions to the free movement of salaried workers from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. This decision was announced by the President of the Spanish Government in the 3rd Spanish-Polish Summit held 9th March 2006 in Granada. It was and transmitted to the other Member States by the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs in the last meeting of the Employment and Social Policy Council, held in Brussels 10th March 2006. Accordingly with this position, from 1st May 2006, salaried workers from these countries have the same rights as those coming from other Member States.

[spiral78]

Hurrah! Thanks for posting the info.

[rfx24]

Nevermind I found the answer to my question.

[forest1979]

Just to throw a curveball into the topic, let's say you Poles or Czechs can work as English teachers, how can you convince an employer that you have an adequate level of English in comparison to say a local Spaniard who also claims to have a language level to teach?

[spiral78]

I'm a US citizen, with Czech citizenship by marraige. It's easy to convince them.

[forest1979]

That's a great answer! "I'm from an English speaking country!"