Highly qualified professionals, researchers and intra-company transfers

Key rules

• Who files: Your employer or hosting centre files the application through UGE-CE, not you.
• Intra-company: You must have worked for the group outside the EU for at least 3 months immediately before transferring.
• Researchers: Your hosting centre must be in the public register of approved centres.
• Speed: The highly qualified route is normally decided in 20 working days.

Which route fits you

Spain has three special routes for non-EU workers: highly qualified professionals, researchers and intra-company transferees. Each has its own eligibility criteria, and they can be faster than the standard employee route. In all three, your employer or hosting centre files the application through UGE-CE, not you.

If none of these describes you, the standard employee route applies instead.

Highly qualified professionals

You need a job offer or contract from a company in Spain, for a position in the highly qualified categories. You show your level in one of two ways:

• A higher education degree, generally lasting at least three years.
• For some management roles and ICT (information and communication technology) jobs, 3 to 5 years of professional experience.

The employer must also meet the law's requirement on company size or strategic sector, or fall into another category the law sets. Ask your employer to confirm this before you plan anything. Salary and company-size thresholds should be checked with the employer or UGE-CE.

This route is normally decided in 20 working days, which is much quicker than the standard route.

Intra-company transfers

This route is for managers, specialists and trainees moved to a Spanish entity of the same group. You need:

• At least 3 months working for the group outside the EU immediately before the transfer.
• A degree or equivalent experience.
• A contract or assignment letter showing a real group link between the two entities.

A transfer lasts up to 3 years for managers and specialists, and 1 year for trainees. If you are already in another EU country with the group and will stay in Spain more than 90 days, a mobile ICT permit covers that. Exact limits depend on your category, so confirm them with your employer.

Researchers

You need a hosting agreement (convenio de acogida) signed with an approved research organisation. The organisation must be in the public register of approved centres. You also need a doctorate or a suitable higher qualification, and you must show funding or resources for the project.

The hosting centre files the application, normally through UGE-CE. You get a residence authorisation for the length of the project, and it can be renewed. Family members may be included, and the permit allows intra-EU mobility. Check the register and the current procedure with the Ministry of Science or Immigration.

How long it takes

Where a route follows the standard period, the decision time is 3 months. After you apply for the visa at the Spanish consulate, add a few weeks. The timeline below shows the order of steps, and the checklist lists what to gather.

Timeline and deadlines

• Complete your 3 months with the group outside the EU if you are transferring within a company: before the transfer starts

• Your employer or hosting centre files the application through UGE-CE: once your job offer, contract or hosting agreement is in place

• Wait for the decision on a highly qualified professional permit: normally within 20 working days

• Wait for the decision on other routes if they follow the standard period: 3 months from acceptance of your file, commonly 2 to 4 months in practice

• Apply for your visa at the Spanish consulate: within one month of being notified of approval, and allow a few extra weeks for this step

Checklist

• Check that your higher education degree generally lasts at least three years, or that you have the 3 to 5 years of professional experience some management roles require.

• Ask your employer to confirm that the company meets the size or sector requirement for this route.

• Ask the hosting centre to confirm it is listed in the public register of approved centres if you are coming as a researcher.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a highly qualified professional permit take to decide?

A highly qualified professional permit is normally decided in 20 working days. Your employer applies through UGE-CE, the immigration unit that handles these routes, which is why this route can be faster than the standard one.

How long must I have worked for the group before an intra-company transfer?

You must have worked for the group outside the EU for at least 3 months immediately before the transfer. You also need a degree or equivalent experience, and a contract or assignment letter.

Who files the application for a researcher permit?

The approved hosting centre files the application for you, normally through UGE-CE. The residence authorisation lasts for the length of your project and is renewable, and family members may be included.