Unemployment benefit (paro) in Spain

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. By the end, you will know whether you qualify, how to claim on time, what you will receive and what to do to keep it.

Start with "Unemployment benefit in Spain, what a newcomer can count on". It gives the overall picture and points you to the page for each step.

Key rules

• Paro rate: Paro pays 70% of your base reguladora for the first 180 days and 50% from day 181.
• Minimum contributions: You need at least 360 days of contributions in the 6 years before losing your job, which gives 120 days of paro.
• Claim deadline: You must file your paro claim within 15 business days of losing your job; a later claim starts on the filing date and the days of delay are deducted.
• Foreign periods: EU/EEA and Swiss periods can be added to Spanish ones if your last period was in Spain.
• Registration: Register as a jobseeker and sign the activity commitment, then renew the registration on the dates you are given.
• Dependent children: Having one or more dependent children raises your minimum, and two or more raise your maximum further.

Unemployment benefit (paro) in Spain: the whole process, step by step

• Check which way of leaving your job counts as job loss (read: Which ways of leaving a job give you paro): before or as soon as your job ends

• Check you have enough contributions: at least 360 days in the 6 years before losing your job (read: How much paro you get and for how long): before you claim

• If you worked in another EU/EEA country, get the PD U1 document so those periods can be added (read: Using EU contributions for paro, or taking your paro abroad): before or while you claim

• Register as a jobseeker and file your paro claim with the SEPE (read: How to apply for paro at the SEPE, and the deadline): within 15 business days of losing your job; a later claim starts on the filing date and the days of delay are deducted

• Know what you will receive: 70% of your base reguladora for the first 180 days and 50% from day 181 (read: How much paro you get and for how long): once your claim is approved

• Renew your jobseeker registration on the dates printed on your document, and accept suitable job offers (read: Keeping your paro through renewals, job offers and sanctions): normally every 3 months while you receive paro

• Tell the SEPE before starting a job or business, or before travelling (read: Working again while on unemployment benefit, and what you keep): before you start work or leave

• If you move to another EU/EEA country with your paro, register there as a jobseeker (read: Using EU contributions for paro, or taking your paro abroad): within 7 days of leaving Spain, after at least 4 weeks registered in Spain

• Apply for the subsidio if your paro runs out or you lack contributions (read: The unemployment subsidy (subsidio) when paro runs out or you lack contributions): when paro ends or if you never reached the minimum

• If you are a Spaniard returning from abroad, apply for the returnee benefit (read: Benefits for Spaniards returning to Spain): within 30 days after your return

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Your ID — How to apply for paro at the SEPE, and the deadline

Income and work

• PD U1 document from the other country's unemployment or social security office — Unemployment benefit in Spain, what a newcomer can count on
• Family book or birth certificates and proof of dependants' income — How to apply for paro at the SEPE, and the deadline

The home and the lease

• Dismissal letter or contract-end notice — Which ways of leaving a job give you paro

Other documents

• The certificado de empresa — How to apply for paro at the SEPE, and the deadline, Which ways of leaving a job give you paro
• Proof that your job ended — How to apply for paro at the SEPE, and the deadline
• The card or document you received when you registered as a jobseeker — Keeping your paro through renewals, job offers and sanctions
• Finiquito — Which ways of leaving a job give you paro
• Court ruling or conciliation record — Which ways of leaving a job give you paro

Unemployment benefit (paro) in Spain: questions that cross several articles

Do contributions from other countries count towards Spanish paro?

Yes, periods in other EU/EEA countries and Switzerland can be added to your Spanish ones, but only if your last period of work was in Spain. You usually need the PD U1 document from the other country. Outside these countries, foreign periods count only under some bilateral agreements, and many exclude unemployment. Read "Using EU contributions for paro, or taking your paro abroad".

Do periods worked without a work permit count towards paro?

Generally no, because benefit rights are tied to being authorised to work, even though the contract itself stays valid. Rules on counting such periods have changed, so ask the SEPE about your case. Read "Unemployment benefit in Spain, what a newcomer can count on" and "Which ways of leaving a job give you paro".

What if I do not have 360 days of contributions?

You may still get the subsidio if you have at least 3 months of contributions, or fewer with family responsibilities, and pass the income test. Read "How much paro you get and for how long" for the contributory scale and "The unemployment subsidy (subsidio) when paro runs out or you lack contributions" for the fallback.

Which conditions apart from contributions do I need to meet for paro?

You must be in a legal unemployment situation, such as dismissal or the end of a temporary contract, and be able and available to work. You must also be registered as a jobseeker, sign the activity commitment and be below retirement age.