Moving from a student permit to an employee permit

Key rules

• Where to apply: You can switch from inside Spain; you do not have to leave the country.
• Job offer: You need a job offer or employment contract that meets the usual pay, hours and solvency conditions.
• Filing time: File while your student permit is valid, because filing extends your stay until the decision.
• Employment test: The national employment situation test is generally not applied to this switch.

Can you switch without leaving Spain?

Yes. If you hold a student permit, you can switch to an employee permit from inside Spain. You do not have to go home and apply from abroad. Timing is what matters most: file while your student permit is still valid.

What you need before you file

You must meet these conditions:

• You have spent the required time in Spain on a student permit, or you have completed your studies. The required time was cut in the 2025 reform, and the current figure is in the caveat below.
• You have a clean criminal record.
• You have a real job offer or employment contract.

The contract must meet the usual conditions: the pay, the working hours and the employer's solvency. Your employer should set these out clearly.

The job-market test usually does not apply

Normally, an employer must show that no suitable candidate in Spain could fill the post. This is the national employment situation test (situación nacional de empleo). Students switching to work are generally exempt from it, and that is the main advantage of this route. Ask the Oficina de Extranjería to confirm the exemption covers your case.

Timing: file early

File while your student permit is still valid. Filing keeps you legally in Spain, and your stay is extended until the decision. Stay in Spain while you wait.

Under the older rules, you could file up to 90 days before your stay ended. Filing early is still the safe course. The 2025 rules also allow filing shortly after expiry, but do not plan around that. If your permit has already expired, file immediately and ask the Oficina de Extranjería what window applies to you.

Plan backwards from your permit's end date. Line up the job offer, the contract and the criminal record certificate well before then. A missing document is the usual reason people run out of time.

If you do not have a job yet

Graduates who are still looking for work can apply for a post-study job-search permit instead. Consider that route if no offer is in place before your student permit ends.

The timeline, checklist and questions below cover the steps in order.

Timeline and deadlines

• Secure a job offer or employment contract that meets the usual conditions: before you file

• File the switch to an employee permit while your student permit is still valid: as early as you can, before the permit ends

• Stay in Spain while the application is decided, since filing extends your stay: from the day you file until the decision

• If your permit has already expired, file straight away: shortly after expiry

Checklist

• Confirm that your student permit is still valid.

• Get a clean criminal record certificate.

• Get a job offer or employment contract from your employer.

• Ask your employer to confirm the pay, working hours and the company's solvency in the contract.

• File your application before your student permit ends, so your stay is extended until the decision.

• If your permit has already expired, ask the Oficina de Extranjería whether you can still file, and do it straight away.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a job offer to switch from a student permit to an employee permit?

Yes, you need a job offer or an employment contract to switch to an employee permit.

Does the national employment situation test apply when I switch from studying to working?

No, the national employment situation test (situación nacional de empleo) is generally not applied to students switching to work. This exemption is the main advantage of this route, because the employer does not have to show that no local candidate could fill the job.

Can I file my switch to work after my student permit has expired?

Yes, you can file shortly after expiry under the 2025 rules, but filing while the permit is still valid is the safe course. Filing in time keeps you legally in Spain until the application is resolved.

Is there a permit for graduates who are still looking for a job?

Yes, graduates can apply for a post-study job-search permit if they have not yet found an employer. This lets you look for work after your studies instead of needing a job offer straight away.