Residence through past work (arraigo laboral)

Terms used

• Arraigo sociolaboral — Arraigo sociolaboral is the exceptional residence route, in force since May 2025, based on a stay in Spain and a past work relationship.
• Arraigo laboral — Arraigo laboral was the older residence route based on past work, replaced in 2025 by arraigo sociolaboral.
• Juzgado de lo Social — The Juzgado de lo Social is the Spanish labour court that decides work disputes.
• Oficina de Extranjería — The Oficina de Extranjería is the immigration office that receives and decides residence applications.

Key rules

• Work needed: You must show at least 6 months of work at 30 hours a week or more.
• Stay needed: You need 2 years of continuous stay in Spain.
• Permit: If granted, you get a residence and work permit of 3 years.
• Proof: A court judgment or an inspectorate resolution is the strongest proof; payslips, social-security records and contracts can also count.

Can past informal work get you residence?

Yes, it can. Since 20 May 2025 the route is called arraigo sociolaboral and it replaced the old arraigo laboral. You need to prove two things: a stay in Spain and a past work relationship, even if you had no contract.

What you must show

• 2 years of continuous stay in Spain.
• A work relationship of at least 6 months.
• Work of at least 30 hours a week.

How to prove the work

Under the old rules you needed a labour court judgment or a labour inspectorate resolution. Those proofs still count. The 2025 rules also accept other documents, such as payslips, social-security records and work contracts. The documents list below shows what to gather.

If you have no paperwork, you will usually need the claim route. It runs in this order:

1. File a conciliation request at your regional conciliation service (the SMAC or its equivalent). This is the normal first step.
2. If conciliation fails, either sue in the labour court (Juzgado de lo Social) to have the work relationship recognised, or file a complaint with the labour inspectorate (Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social). The inspectorate can open an inspection and issue a report.
3. Attach the judgment or the inspectorate resolution to your residence application.

The labour court is usually the more reliable route. A lawyer or a union can help you with it. Expect months for either route, and a court case can take over a year depending on the province. Start early, because your 2 years of stay keep running while you wait.

What permit you get

You get a residence permit for exceptional circumstances for 3 years. It lets you work as an employee or self-employed, in any sector and anywhere in Spain. The old arraigo laboral permit lasted only 1 year.

Before you file

The immigration office (Oficina de Extranjería) decides which proofs it accepts in practice. Ask it which documents it currently takes before you file. The timeline and checklist below walk you through the steps.

Timeline and deadlines

• Work for at least 6 months, at 30 hours a week or more: during your time in Spain, before you apply

• Build 2 years of continuous stay in Spain: before you file the application

• Start a conciliation request, then a court claim or an inspectorate complaint if you have no other proof: as soon as possible; judgments and inspections can take months to over a year

• Attach the proof of your work to the residence application: when you file

Documents you need

• A labour court judgment that recognises your work relationship, issued by the Juzgado de lo Social. Needed if you do not use another accepted proof.

• A resolution from the labour inspectorate (Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social) issued after an inspection report. Needed if you do not use another accepted proof.

• Payslips showing the work, as an alternative proof under the 2025 rules.

• Social-security records showing the work, as an alternative proof under the 2025 rules.

• Work contracts covering the job, as an alternative proof under the 2025 rules.

Checklist

• Check that your work lasted at least 6 months, at 30 hours a week or more.

• Ask a lawyer or a union whether a court claim or an inspectorate complaint is needed to prove your work.

• File a conciliation request at the regional conciliation service if you go the claim route.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get a court judgment recognising informal work?

A labour court judgment can take from several months to over a year, depending on your province. A complaint to the labour inspectorate can also take months. Start the claim as early as you can, and ask a lawyer or a union for help.

Which claim route is more reliable, the labour court or the labour inspectorate?

The labour court is usually the more reliable route, because it ends in a judgment that recognises your work relationship. You normally begin with a conciliation request at the regional conciliation service, and sue only if that fails.

Can I use payslips and contracts instead of a judgment?

Yes, under the 2025 rules payslips, social-security records and contracts can also be accepted, alongside a court judgment or an inspectorate resolution.

What work rights does the permit give me afterwards?

You can work as an employee or self-employed in any sector and anywhere in Spain. The permit is for 3 years, compared with 1 year under the old arraigo laboral.