Working holiday and language assistant routesArticle 2 of 6 · 2 min read
What a Spanish working holiday visa lets you do
Explains what a Spanish working holiday visa allows: how much you can work, what you can study, where you can travel, and why you cannot extend. For people from countries with a working holiday agreement with Spain.
Key rules
- Work: A side activity only, capped at 6 months with one employer.
- Freelancing: No self-employed or freelance work.
- Re-entry: You can only re-enter Spain while your authorisation is valid, with your passport and your visa or residence card.
A working holiday visa is meant for travel and cultural exchange. Work and study are allowed, but only as side activities that help fund your stay.
Work
You can take temporary or occasional jobs to pay for your trip, for no more than 6 months with the same employer. Work cannot be your main reason for being in Spain. Work beyond these limits breaks the conditions of your visa and puts your status at risk.
Freelance or self-employed work is not allowed.
Study
You can take short courses such as language classes, as a secondary activity, for 3 or 6 months depending on your country (3 months for Australia, New Zealand and Japan); the allowance for each country is in the eligibility page.
Travel
You can travel in the Schengen area outside Spain for up to 90 days in any 180 days while your Spanish authorisation is valid.
Time abroad does not extend your stay. You also cannot work in other countries on your Spanish permit.
Extending or staying longer
The visa cannot be renewed or extended, and it is granted only once per person. The stay is up to 12 months. To stay longer, you must leave or switch to another status; the options are in which route fits a young person.
If you bring family
Your partner and family members cannot travel on your working holiday visa and apply in their own right. Family rules and work rights by relationship.
When you arrive
A stay of more than 6 months needs a TIE: apply at the police within 30 days of arriving, with fingerprints, and pay the 16 EUR fee.
Documents you need
-
A valid passport, needed to re-enter Spain after a trip abroad during your stay
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Your working holiday visa or residence card, issued by the Spanish authorities, which must still be valid when you re-enter Spain
More in Working holiday and language assistant routes
- Working holiday visa for Spain, which nationalities and ages qualify
- Becoming a language assistant (auxiliar de conversación) in Spain
- Language assistant visa, pay and placement, what to expect
- Au pair, volunteering and traineeship stays in Spain
- Working holiday, language assistant or student route, which fits a young person?
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