Working in Spain: Finding a Job

You can, of course, apply speculatively to any firms and organizations or you can apply for vacancies published in the general or specialized Spanish press - a good way of discovering which industries and firms are hiring people. However, alongside the temporary employment agencies, recruitment centres and vocational guidance centres, there are also the employment services: these are specialist intermediaries that can help you in your search for work.

National Employment Institute

INEM, the National Employment Institute (Instituto Nacional de Empleo), has a network of jobcentres which provide a placement service for all categories of employee.

Private placement agencies have been allowed to operate in Spain since 1995. The remuneration they receive from the employee or employer covers only the costs incurred in providing the service. These agencies cooperate closely with INEM.

Jobseekers may register with INEM jobcentres or with private placement agencies. Workers applying for or receiving benefits must register with an INEM jobcentre; they may also use the services of private placement agencies if they wish to do so. Employers may, if they so wish, advertise vacancies through INEM jobcentres or private placement agencies. They are required to register contracts with their local INEM jobcentre.

Particular tasks

INEM jobcentres offer jobseekers the following specific services:

• vocational guidance
• information on vocational training
• information on employment support measures (self-employment, cooperatives, worker-owned limited companies, terms and conditions of employment contracts, etc.).

INEM has helped to set up vocational guidance services at 14 state-run universities in Spain with a view to assisting graduates in their search for work. There are centres at the various universities which provide information on careers and the labour market and draw up lists of courses and vacancies, concentrating on training programmes for young graduates. These services are available to anyone looking for their first job.

Temporary Employment Firms

Please register in one of the employment offices that are dependent of the INEM. These employment offices will assist any EU or EEA citizen to find a job. All job vacancies have to be advertised through INEM, except for temporary posts.

Seasonal/casual work

You may find it useful to apply in person, as word of mouth/casual recruiting is not uncommon.

Press

Please consult the classified ads in the national, regional and specialised newspapers.

Last edited: 08/08

Source: European Union
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