Where Spanish jobs are actually advertised and filled

Terms used

• Demanda de empleo — The demanda de empleo is your registration as a job seeker with a regional public employment service.
• Candidatura espontánea — A candidatura espontánea is a job application sent to a company that has not advertised a vacancy.
• Cita previa — Cita previa is an appointment you book in advance with a public office.
• DARDE — The DARDE is the document and process for renewing your job seeker registration on the dates shown on your card.
• SEPE — SEPE is Spain's national public employment service, which also runs the directory of regional services.
• Colegios — Colegios are professional associations that often post vacancies for their members.

Key rules

• Register where you live: You register as a job seeker with the employment service of the region where you live, not where you want to work.
• Renewal: Renew your registration on the dates printed on your card, or it can be cancelled and your benefits cut.
• Work permit: If you are not an EU or EEA citizen, you can register only if your permit lets you work.
• Networking: Many vacancies are filled through contacts and never advertised, so tell people you are looking.

Use several channels at once

No single site covers the Spanish job market. Use a mix of general portals, sector boards, your personal network and the public employment service. The directory below lists the sites to start with.

General job portals

InfoJobs is the longest-established general portal in Spain. Use it, with similar mass-market sites, for retail, hospitality, logistics and office roles. LinkedIn is the main place for qualified, tech, multinational and English-speaking roles. Agency websites are the usual route to temporary work.

Create a profile on both, upload a CV in Spanish (and in English if you target international firms), and turn on job alerts.

Sector boards

Most fields have their own board: tech, tourism and hospitality, teaching, health, research, engineering, law, architecture and care work. Professional associations (colegios) often post vacancies for their members. Find the one for your field and check it regularly.

Your network matters as much as adverts

A large share of Spanish vacancies, often put at around half, is filled through contacts, internal referrals or never advertised. Small firms rely most on word of mouth.

• Tell friends, former colleagues and neighbours that you are looking.
• Ask for referrals from people who work at firms you like.
• Go to sector events and meetups.
• Send a candidatura espontánea: an unrequested application with your CV and a short note, addressed to a named person. It works best with small and medium firms.

Register as a job seeker

Registering as a job seeker (demanda de empleo) is free. It puts you in the public system, gives you access to the regional service's vacancies and training, and is usually needed for unemployment benefits.

Each autonomous community runs its own employment service, and you register with the one for where you live. To find yours, use the directory on the national SEPE website or search for the service for your province. Ceuta and Melilla are handled by SEPE directly.

To register:

1. Ask for an appointment (cita previa) or register online with your regional service. Online options usually include a digital certificate or Cl@ve.
2. Bring your ID, your Social Security number if you have one, and your CV or work history.
3. You receive a demand card (tarjeta de demanda).

You must renew on the dates printed on the card, called DARDE. This is usually every three months. Renewal methods vary by region: app, online portal, SMS or in person. A missed renewal can cancel your registration and cut off benefits.

If you are not an EU or EEA citizen

EU and EEA citizens can work freely. Other nationals can register only if they are legally resident with permission to work. Permits such as long-term residence, family reunification or refugee status usually qualify. A tourist stay or a non-lucrative residence does not allow work or registration. Searching and applying is not forbidden, but an employer cannot lawfully hire you without work authorisation. Check the work conditions on your permit before you register.

The timeline, documents, checklist and FAQ below give the practical steps.

Timeline and deadlines

• Request an appointment (cita previa) or register online with your regional employment service: as soon as you are legally allowed to work

• Show your ID, Social Security number if you have one, and your CV or work history, then receive your demand card (tarjeta de demanda): at your appointment or when you finish the online registration

• Renew your registration (DARDE) on the date printed on your card: usually every three months

Documents you need

• Your DNI, or your NIE together with your residence document if you are a foreigner, to show your identity and right to live in Spain.

• Your Social Security number, if you already have one.

• Your CV, or details of your training and work history, to complete your job seeker profile.

Checklist

• Create profiles on InfoJobs and Indeed for mass-market roles, and on LinkedIn for qualified, tech and international roles.

• Find the sector job board for your field and check it regularly.

• Tell your friends, former colleagues and contacts that you are looking for work, and ask for referrals.

• Send a spontaneous application (candidatura espontánea) to companies you want to work for, especially small and medium firms.

• Check that your permit allows you to work before you register as a job seeker if you are not an EU or EEA citizen.

• Find the public employment service for the autonomous community where you live, using the national employment service directory.

• Register as a job seeker (demanda de empleo) with that service, if you are legally allowed to work.

• Renew your registration on the dates printed on your demand card.

Job portals and employment services to use in Spain

• InfoJobs: Search and apply for mass-market and mid-level roles; it is one of the longest-established general portals in Spain.

• LinkedIn: Search for qualified, tech, multinational and English-speaking roles, and keep your profile up to date so recruiters find you.

• Indeed: Search listings gathered from many sites, especially for hourly, retail, hospitality and logistics jobs.

• Agency websites such as Randstad and Adecco: Browse temporary and project roles and register your CV with the agency.

• Tecnoempleo: Search IT and tech vacancies.

• Turijobs and Hosteleo: Search hospitality and tourism vacancies.

• Euraxess: Search research positions in Spain.

• Your professional association (colegio): Check its job board if you work in nursing, engineering or architecture.

• SEPE, Spain's national public employment service: Use its directory of autonomous community services to find the employment service for your province of residence; Ceuta and Melilla are handled by SEPE directly.

• Your regional employment service, for example SAE in Andalucía, SOC in Cataluña, LABORA in Comunidad Valenciana, Lanbide in País Vasco, SOIB in Baleares or SEF in Murcia: Register as a job seeker where you live and use its public vacancy portal; every autonomous community runs its own service.

Frequently asked questions

Can I register as a job seeker if I am not an EU citizen?

Yes, but only if you are legally resident and your permit lets you work in Spain.

How often do I have to renew my job seeker registration?

You usually renew every three months, on the dates printed on your demand card (DARDE). Renewal is done through the app, the online portal, SMS or in person, depending on your region.

Which public employment service do I register with?

You register with the service of the autonomous community where you live, not where you want to work. Examples are SAE in Andalucía, LABORA in the Comunidad Valenciana and Lanbide in the País Vasco. In Ceuta and Melilla, the national service handles it.

What is a candidatura espontánea and when does it help?

A candidatura espontánea is an application sent to a company that has not advertised a job. It helps most with small and medium firms, which rely heavily on word of mouth and filling roles without public adverts.