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Spain Immigration Services
Newland Chase offers full support with all aspects of corporate immigration to Spain. Please find an overview of the typical corporate immigration processes below. Every situation is unique, so please do get in touch, either through your usual Newland Chase contact or using the details on the right hand side of the page. Our immigration experts will be glad to discuss your needs in greater detail.
With offices in the capital city of Madrid, Newland Chase Spain provides corporations and individuals operating in Spain with complete support for all their immigration and visa needs – inbound to Spain and outbound to more than 190 countries around the world. Our full spectrum of services allows us to manage all of your business visa and employee immigration needs.
Newland Chase provides clients with deep expertise in all areas of Spanish Immigration as well as effective advice wherever in the world they undertake their business. We invest in the best talent to bring you immigration solutions customized to your business needs. Our immigration consultants provide clear and practical solutions in Spain and globally.
Immigration Summary
Applicants can submit a temporary residence authorisation application after arrival in Spain with a visitor, resident or other legal immigration status. It is also possible to obtain temporary residence authorisation before arrival in Spain and then enter with a long-term type D visa.
The EU Intra-Company Transfer Permit (EU ICT - EU Directive 2014/66) is only applicable to assignees sent to Spain for over 90 days from outside the EU and has a maximum total duration of stay of three years. It is important to note that if an applicant meets the qualifying criteria for this process, they may not apply under an alternative route (i.e. may not use the National Intra-Company Transfer route).
ICT permits under Directive 2014/66 allow mobility within EU member states - i.e. work permission is not required for EU ICT permit holders to work in other member states for less than 90 days and a streamlined Mobile ICT permit application may be submitted if working in other member states for longer than 90 days.
In order to apply for a temporary residence authorisation for National Highly Qualified Employees (local hires and self-employed applicants) according to the Entrepreneurs' Law, applicants must be managers or specialists with a Higher Studies Degree (equivalent to a Senior Technician Degree) or at least 3 years of professional experience equivalent to a Higher Studies Degree and related to the job position offered in Spain. The minimum salary for managers and directors is currently EUR 54,142 per year. For other professionals and specialists, it is EUR 40,077.
Intra-company transfer and service contract fulfilment may also fall under the Entrepreneurs' Law, but only if the transfer does not qualify for the Intra-Company Transfer Permit (EU Directive 2014/66). The assignment should either be within the same group of companies, linked by common ownership, or should be in relation to a service agreement between the sending and host companies. The applicant must have either a university degree or three years of relevant experience, and must have been employed by the sending company for a minimum of three months.
The EU Blue Card is now regulated by the Entrepreneurs' Law in Spain. In order to apply for this permit, applicants must be managers or specialists with a University degree (minimum 3 years of studies, equivalent to a Bachelor Degree) or at least 5 years of professional experience equivalent to a University Degree and related to the job position offered in Spain (or 3 years within the last 7 years in an IT position). It is important to note that if an applicant meets the qualifying criteria for this process, they may not apply under an alternative route (i.e. may not use the National Highly Qualified Employees route).
The Local Hire Work Permit (Smaller Companies) is for non-EU nationals employed in Madrid. This route should be followed when the company or employee assigned to Madrid does not meet the criteria for the Unidad de Grandes Empresas (UGE) routes, and so the work permit has to be processed through the local immigration office (Delegación del Gobierno).
The Van der Elst is an immigration process whereby a non-EEA national who is employed and contracted by a home entity in the EEA country and sent on short-term assignment to another EEA country no longer requires a work permit. However, a residence visa must be applied for if the assignment is for more than three months, and a residence card if the assignment is for more than six months.
EU/EEA/Swiss nationals on assignment to or employed in Spain do not need a work permit. However, if the stay is for longer than 90 days, an EU Residence Certificate should be applied for. For EU/EEA/Swiss nationals sent on secondment from the EU/EEA/Switzerland, a declaration should be submitted to the labour inspectorate prior to the commencement of the assignment.
Our Spain team members are highly qualified and dedicated professionals with extensive experience in all aspects of Spanish immigration. They come from the best of legal, consulting, in-house corporate and government backgrounds and bring a breadth of experience and insight both in immigration and a multitude of industry sectors. With a dedication to service and a consultative approach, our people act as your trusted advisors and partners in achieving your business goals in Spain.
