Spain · Jobs
Where to find jobs in Spain — major job boards, in-demand sectors, and how to apply.
AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.
Spain's public employment service is SEPE, which runs the national job portal and the unemployment system, but it sits alongside regional employment services rather than replacing them — so there are two public layers to search, not one. Non-EU workers generally need a work-and-residence authorisation tied to a job offer, though the entrepreneur and digital-nomad routes exist as alternatives that do not depend on one. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can work freely.
Spain's public employment service is the SEPE (Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal), which runs the official job portal and unemployment system alongside the regional employment services; much hiring also happens on commercial boards. Non-EU workers generally need a work-and-residence authorisation tied to a job offer (or the entrepreneur/digital-nomad routes). EU/EEA/Swiss citizens can work freely.
- SEPE is the national public employment service and job portal (with regional services).
- Non-EU workers generally need a work-and-residence authorisation tied to a job offer.
- EU/EEA/Swiss citizens can work without a permit.
- 1
Search both public layers
SEPE is the national service, but regional employment services run alongside it. Searching only the national portal leaves a whole public layer unexamined.
- 2
Identify your region's service
Regional services cover their own territory. Finding the one for where you intend to work brings in listings and support that the national portal may not carry.
- 3
Expect the authorisation to hinge on an offer
Non-EU workers generally need a work-and-residence authorisation tied to a job offer. That makes securing the offer the gating step rather than a later formality.
- 4
Consider the offer-free alternatives
The entrepreneur and digital-nomad routes do not depend on a job offer. If a conventional offer is hard to secure from abroad, those alternatives change the sequencing entirely.
- 5
Settle your nationality position first
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can work freely, so the authorisation question does not arise for them. Everything downstream depends on which group you are in.
- Nationality group determined
- SEPE national portal searched
- Regional employment service identified
- Regional listings searched separately
- Offer-linked authorisation route understood
- Entrepreneur or digital-nomad route assessed
- Commercial boards searched alongside public ones
- SEPE (Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal)
Official public employment service.
Frequently asked questions
Is SEPE the only public job service in Spain?
No — it is the national service, but regional employment services run alongside it. Searching only the national portal leaves a whole public layer unexamined, so find the regional service for where you intend to work too.
Do I need a job offer to work in Spain?
Non-EU workers generally need a work-and-residence authorisation tied to one, which makes securing the offer the gating step. The entrepreneur and digital-nomad routes are alternatives that do not depend on an offer, and they change the sequencing entirely.
What if I cannot get a Spanish job offer from abroad?
The entrepreneur and digital-nomad routes exist as alternatives that do not depend on a job offer. Where a conventional offer is hard to secure from outside the country, those routes reverse the usual order of events.
Government portals
- General Access Point (administracion.gob.es) — Central portal for Spanish public administration services
- Immigration e-Office (Extranjería) — Residence, foreigner ID (NIE/TIE) and immigration procedures
- Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria) — Spanish income tax (IRPF) and VAT (IVA) filing
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs (visas) — Visa applications abroad and consular services