Which Spanish regions and cities have the jobs you want

Key rules

• Office jobs: Madrid and Barcelona are the main hubs for tech and corporate work.
• Seasonal work: Tourism jobs are on the islands and coasts, and harvest work moves around the south and east through the year.
• Unemployment: It is highest in Andalucía, Canarias, Extremadura, Ceuta and Melilla, and lowest in the Basque Country, Navarra, La Rioja, Aragón, Baleares and Cataluña.
• Pay: Average salaries are highest in the Basque Country, Madrid, Navarra and Cataluña.

The short version

Jobs are not spread evenly. Office and tech work sits in a few big cities. Tourism work sits on the coasts and islands. Farm work follows the harvests in the south and east. Unemployment and pay also differ widely between autonomous communities (Spain's regions), so the place you choose matters as much as the job.

Office, tech and corporate jobs

Madrid and Barcelona are the two main hubs. Madrid is where many company headquarters are. Barcelona is stronger for startups and tech.

Second-tier hubs are worth a look if you want a smaller city:

• Valencia
• Málaga, which has a technology park
• Sevilla
• Bilbao
• Zaragoza

A Coruña, Vigo and Valladolid host shared-service centres, which handle back-office work for large companies.

Hospitality and tourism work

Seasonal hospitality jobs follow the tourists. Typical seasons:

• Baleares: about April to October.
• Canarias: busiest in winter, with work all year.
• Andalusian coast (Málaga, Cádiz, Almería): spring to autumn.
• Valencia region and Costa Blanca: summer.
• Costa Brava and Costa Dorada in Cataluña: summer.
• Ski resorts in the Pyrenees and Sierra Nevada: December to March.

Apply a few weeks before the season starts, because the best posts fill early.

Harvest and farm work

Harvest work runs in a different region almost every month:

• Huelva berries: about January to June.
• Almería greenhouses: September to June.
• Murcia and Valencia citrus and vegetables: October to April for citrus.
• Lleida fruit: June to September.
• La Rioja and Castilla grape harvest: September to October.
• Jaén olives: November to February.

You can string several together to work most of the year, but you will move between regions.

Unemployment by region

The regions with the highest unemployment are Andalucía, Canarias, Extremadura, Ceuta and Melilla. The lowest are in the Basque Country, Navarra, La Rioja, Aragón, Baleares and Cataluña. Madrid and Valencia are close to the national average.

Low unemployment means it is easier to find a job. High unemployment means more competition, so you need a skill that is in demand locally.

Pay by region

The Basque Country, Madrid, Navarra and Cataluña have the highest average salaries. Extremadura, Canarias, Andalucía, Murcia and Galicia are among the lowest. Average gross pay across Spain has been in the high 20,000s to low 30,000s euros a year.

Pay and unemployment do not always line up. Baleares has low unemployment because of tourism, but tourism jobs are not always well paid. Weigh pay against rent too, since big cities cost more.

How to choose

1. Find your profession in the lists above and note the regions that match.
2. Check the latest unemployment and pay tables for those regions on the national statistics institute's website.
3. Compare them with housing costs in the same places.
4. Search job listings for a few cities before you commit to one.

The FAQ below answers common questions on seasons and tech jobs outside the two big cities.

Frequently asked questions

Do the regions with low unemployment also pay the most?

Mostly yes, because the Basque Country and Navarra have low unemployment and high pay. Cataluña also sits in both groups. Madrid pays well but its unemployment is near the national average, so a strong salary does not always mean an easy job search.

In which months is seasonal hospitality work easiest to find?

Hospitality seasonal work is easiest to find from April to October in Baleares and from spring to autumn on the Andalusian coast. Ski resorts in the Pyrenees and Sierra Nevada hire from December to March. Canarias peaks in winter and has year-round work.

When does harvest work run in Spain?

Harvest work runs all year, depending on the crop and region. Huelva berries run about January to June, Lleida fruit June to September, and the grape harvest in La Rioja and Castilla September to October. Jaén olives run November to February.

Are there tech jobs outside Madrid and Barcelona?

Yes, Valencia, Málaga, Sevilla, Bilbao and Zaragoza are secondary hubs for tech and corporate roles.