Working / Moving to Spain - Job Opportunity...

[bridgdav]

In the not too distant future, I may has the opportunity to work for a company in Northern Spain.
I would have to relocate & up sticks as the position is Based over there.

If it all pans out, I would there live in rented accomm, travelling back to visit home periodically. After a while followed by the other half. (rent-out UK house etc etc)

Has anybody done this..?
I know nothing about the Spainish laws on employment - Taxation, insurances etc.
What proportion of my Salary would I be losing to contributions..?
Cost of Apartment rental..?
What's the standard of living like..?
Can I take my car..?


I'm due to go out there in a week or so to review the position with the company, but would like to have a bit of knowledge beforehand.

Open to the PH database..?

Dave

[rsv gone!]

Will you be paid in Euros or Pounds?

Personally, I'd jump at the chance.

[off_again]

Spanish economy is in a bad state, though this is driven by property price falls in the South, so should be OK in the North. I would jump at the chance to move, expenses paid, but with a family and a dog, its not easy. Weigh up the pro's and see if it works out - rarely works financially though, so don't expect to make fortunes.

[Tony*T3]

Bare in mind the current exchange rate. A £ is roughly a Euro. (although recovered a little recently). This makes a huge difference to your standard of liveing. If you go now and are happy, then future £ recovery will be in your favour. (if paid in £'s in the UK)

You say 'Northern Spain'. Where exaclty? Much of Spain is very rural, and its a big country. Anywhere touristy? Because much of the tourist part of Northern Spain literally goes like a ghost town between November and March.

You can take your car obviously, but if its out of the country more than 6 motnhs officially you have to export it. This means to sell your RHD car your likly going to have to re-import it back into the UK. This all costs money. Your insurance will be impacted if you think you can just go live in Spain and keep UK insurance your wrong.

how are you intending to do your return flights? Cheap travel via the likes of Ryan Air flights can dissapear overnight if a route becomes unprofitable. Big worry for certain regions with lots of expats.

House prices in Spain are nose diving. Could be a good time to buy there soon. Germans and Russians and other Northern Europeans leving in drooves. Brits staying due to not being able to sell their property.

[Tony*T3]

off_again said:

Spanish economy is in a bad state, though this is driven by property price falls in the South, so should be OK in the North. I would jump at the chance to move, expenses paid, but with a family and a dog, its not easy. Weigh up the pro's and see if it works out - rarely works financially though, so don't expect to make fortunes.

I have releatives with property int he North. Prices are devestated, market stagnant. eg, 3 bed flat worth 230,000 euros two years ago now unselable at 100,000 euros. unselable.

Edited by Tony*T3 on Tuesday 17th February 09:58

[off_again]

Tony*T3 said:

off_again said:

Spanish economy is in a bad state, though this is driven by property price falls in the South, so should be OK in the North. I would jump at the chance to move, expenses paid, but with a family and a dog, its not easy. Weigh up the pro's and see if it works out - rarely works financially though, so don't expect to make fortunes.

I have releatives with property int he North. Prices are devestated, market stagnant. eg, 3 bed flat worth 230,000 euros two years ago now unselable at 100,000 euros. unselable.

Edited by Tony*T3 on Tuesday 17th February 09:58

Yikes. Didn't realise it was so bad. Blimey.

[bridgdav]

Paid in Euros.
Bilbao Area.

30 days holiday, 20 days public holiday, Siesta..

Does sound attractive.
But also scarey, not speaking Spanish, etc etc.
I have travelled overseas working on many occasions, but only short term.

[Tony*T3]

bridgdav said:

Paid in Euros.
Bilbao Area.

30 days holiday, 20 days public holiday, Siesta..

Does sound attractive.
But also scarey, not speaking Spanish, etc etc.
I have travelled overseas working on many occasions, but only short term.

Seems cool to me then. Bilbao is not touristy, so it wont turn into a ghost town dyring winter months.

If you dont go for it, you'll never know for sure.

Used car market is strong in Spain. Not such huge losses as we see in the UK, so I'd suggest buying LHD out there.

[off_again]

Not a certain International Energy company by any chance?

[Tony*T3]

off_again said:

Tony*T3 said:

off_again said:

Spanish economy is in a bad state, though this is driven by property price falls in the South, so should be OK in the North. I would jump at the chance to move, expenses paid, but with a family and a dog, its not easy. Weigh up the pro's and see if it works out - rarely works financially though, so don't expect to make fortunes.

I have releatives with property int he North. Prices are devestated, market stagnant. eg, 3 bed flat worth 230,000 euros two years ago now unselable at 100,000 euros. unselable.

Edited by Tony*T3 on Tuesday 17th February 09:58

Yikes. Didn't realise it was so bad. Blimey.

The problem they have there is oversupply I think. No shortage of homes being built unlike this country. Also, unemployment is rising fast and people are reletivly low paid. Mass exodous of forign nationals forcing prices downwards too...

[bridgdav]

off_again said:

Not a certain International Energy company by any chance?

No, Mechanical Design and Equipment development - FMCG (fast moving consumer goods)

Any idea on contributions, taxation..?
Salary max of 50k euros.

[JCW]

bridgdav said:

Paid in Euros.
Bilbao Area.

30 days holiday, 20 days public holiday, Siesta..

Does sound attractive.
But also scarey, not speaking Spanish, etc etc.
I have travelled overseas working on many occasions, but only short term.

If you're going to do it, immerse yourself in the culture rather than trying to re-create Little Britain as many do in the south so that means starting work earlier with a light breakfast, around 10.00am you get elevensies (usually someone pops out for pastries), longer lunches although not necessarily siesta (this is starting to die out) followed by later finish at work, bit of sleep and then out for the evening.

Get a set of Michel Thomas CDs as a way of kick starting your Spanish - amazingly intuitive and as many Spanish words are similar to English you stand a good chance of attaining a decent standard of Spanish, particularly if you're working there.

On the plus side, the roads around that area (in fact the majority of Spain) are amazing with some of the back roads down to Burgos, the Picos de Europa and across to Compostela amongst the best in Europe - usually deserted too. The Spanish themselves can be a bit stand offish to begin with but assuming you're prepared to mix in and make the effort you'll soon be accepted.

As Tony says, the economy is in free fall with the construction sector on its knees with high unemployment and all that goes with it but like most countries it will turn round at some point. The Euro/Sterling parity means that things aren't as cheap as they used to be but its a buyers market for rental property at the moment but remember the laws are very much in the favour of the renter in Spain as opposed to the landlord so that goes in your favour.

Do it.