Which route this page covers
This page follows the Spanish ministry's information sheet 12 on the initial authorisation of temporary residence and work for employees. An employer or business requests it to hire a foreign worker older than 16 for more than ninety days and less than five years. The sheet lists, as a requirement, that the worker is not a citizen of an EU or EEA state or Switzerland, or a family member covered by the EU citizen regime. The sheet is marked as last updated in May 2025 and cites Royal Decree 1155/2024. It says it is only a guide and that the rules in force when you file are the ones that apply. Other routes to Spain, such as study or family routes, are not covered here.
Step 1: the employer prepares the file
The sheet lists these requirements, among others. The worker has no criminal record in Spain or in the countries where they lived in the last five years. The labour market allows the hire: for example the occupation is on the hard-to-fill list that the public employment service publishes each quarter, or the employer shows the immigration office (Oficina de Extranjería) that the vacancy is hard to fill with workers already in the Spanish labour market, or the worker is a national of a state with an agreement with Spain (the sheet names Chile and Peru). There is a signed contract that guarantees continued activity during the authorisation. The employer is registered with Social Security and up to date with tax and Social Security obligations. The worker has the professional qualification the job legally requires, duly recognised where applicable. For documents, the sheet names the full passport copy, the contract on the official model and proof of the employer's solvency (tax or Social Security records for the last three years).
Step 2: sworn translations and legalisation
Documents from other countries must be translated into Spanish, or the co-official language of the place of filing, by a sworn translator. Foreign public documents must be legalised by the Spanish consular office for the country that issued them, unless they carry an apostille under the Hague Convention (the sheet cites the 1961 convention) or are exempt under an international convention.
Step 3: the employer files and the fees are paid
The applicant is the employer or business, in person or through a legally authorised representative. The application goes in online through the electronic office of the Ministry of Territorial Policy (Mercurio) on official form EX-03, completed and signed by the hiring company. The fees fall due when the application is filed and must be paid within ten working days. Form 790 code 052 is paid by the foreign worker. Form 790 code 062 is paid by the employer if the work authorisation lasts six months or more. The sheet gives no euro amounts; use the official form for the current amount.
Step 4: the decision
The sheet gives three months for the decision, counted from the day after the application entered the register of the competent body. If the administration has not notified a decision after that period, the application may be understood as rejected by administrative silence. That is the legal period stated on the sheet, not an average processing time.
Step 5: the visa at the Spanish consulate
If the authorisation is granted, the worker has one month from the notification to the employer to request the visa in person at the Spanish diplomatic mission or consulate for the place where they live. The sheet lists a passport valid for at least one year, a criminal record certificate from the country of origin or the countries of residence in the last five years, a medical certificate and proof of payment of the visa fee. The mission decides within one month, and the worker must collect the visa in person within one month of the notification.
Step 6: arrival, Social Security and the foreigner ID card
The worker must enter Spain during the three months the visa is valid. Registration with Social Security must follow within three months of entry. Within one month of being registered with Social Security, the worker must apply in person for the foreigner identity card at the police station or competent police service for their place of residence.
Costs to plan for
The sheet names the two form 790 fees and a visa fee receipt, but states no amounts. It also requires sworn translations, legalisation or apostille, a criminal record certificate and a medical certificate, and does not price any of them. Ask for itemised official fees and quotes for each of these before committing. This page gives no salary or total relocation budget.
Questions before acting
Is an employer offer enough on its own?
No. The employer must apply for the authorisation. If it is granted, the worker must then request a visa at the Spanish consulate where they live, enter Spain and be registered with Social Security.
Does this cover every route to Spain?
No. It covers only the initial employee authorisation described in the ministry's information sheet 12. Other routes are not covered here.
How long does the decision take?
The sheet gives three months from the day after the application entered the register of the competent body. After that, silence may be understood as rejection. That is the legal period, not an average.
Who pays the fees?
Per the sheet, form 790 code 052 is paid by the foreign worker, and form 790 code 062 by the employer if the work authorisation lasts six months or more.
Corrections in this revision
The previous version included statements without sufficient direct support. This revision removes or corrects:
- Nurse-specific wording and unsourced advice to compare salary, location and contract: removed from this general page
- Warning not to assume a visit permission allows employment: removed, not stated in the official sheet
- Title promising visas, costs and steps for all of Spain: corrected; the page covers one route and only the fee forms the sheet names
- Old regulation references, generic fees, processing promises and complete-eligibility claims: removed
- Unsupported profession-specific salary, language and shortage assertions: removed
Review scope: legal and financial statements in this revised article. Recheck on a provider, professional, immigration or tax-rule change; reuse of dated figures requires a new check.
See recorded sources
- Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration: information sheet 12, initial temporary residence and employee work authorisation (in Spanish) — Spain — national; initial authorisation of temporary residence and employee work for third-country nationals. Sheet states 'Última actualización: mayo de 2025' and cites Royal Decree 1155/2024; read 6 Oct 2026
These primary references have the jurisdiction, product and scope stated above. A source link is not proof of personalised eligibility.
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About the author
António Mira is the founder of whereTOemigrate. For over a decade he has worked at the intersection of Portuguese real estate and overseas business, helping international clients navigate the cross-border decisions that come with relocating. He sits on the board of CCIAP (Portuguese-Arab Chamber of Commerce), the Portuguese-Saudi Business Council, and the Portugal-Hong Kong Business Association — always with one focus: enabling overseas business and human mobility into and out of Portugal.
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