For schools and employers
Hire English teachers in Spain
EU and non-EU hiring, academic-year timing, and why work authorisation decides your candidate pool.
Hiring in Spain splits cleanly on work authorisation. Candidates with EU or Spanish work rights can be hired straightforwardly; those without face a materially harder route, and many academies simply recruit within the first group. Deciding your position on that before you advertise saves a great deal of wasted process on both sides.
No applicants in 30 days? Full refund.
3
roles currently advertised in Spain on this board, across 3 employers
324
teacher profiles open to work and searchable right now
79
applications sent through the board in the last 30 days
What it costs to hire in Spain
Housing is not provided and salaries in the private academy sector are modest by comparison with Asia or the Gulf, which candidates understand and weigh against living in Spain. Social security contributions and a properly registered contract are the employer's obligation and are also, increasingly, what good candidates screen for.
Visa sponsorship and your obligations
Candidates with EU citizenship or existing Spanish work authorisation need no sponsorship from you. For those without, sponsored work authorisation is considerably more involved and subject to labour market considerations, which is why many academies focus recruitment on already-authorised candidates. Government language assistant programmes operate under their own arrangements. Confirm the current requirements with the relevant Spanish authorities before committing to a non-authorised hire.
When to recruit, and how long it takes
The academic year begins in September and most academy hiring happens in late summer, which is compressed and competitive. Recruiting earlier than your competitors is the cheapest advantage available in this market. A second, smaller wave follows in January.
What the contract has to spell out
Register the contract properly and state contracted hours, the hourly or monthly basis, whether travel between centres and in-company classes is paid, holiday entitlement, social security enrolment and notice. Candidates in Spain have learned to check whether the contract is real, and an academy that is straightforward about it stands out.
How this goes wrong
Advertising broadly, attracting a large number of applicants without Spanish work authorisation, and spending the entire late-summer window filtering rather than hiring. Say in the listing what authorisation you require. The other is leaving hiring until September, when everyone else has already staffed up.
Questions schools ask
- Can we hire a non-EU English teacher in Spain?
- It is possible but considerably more involved than hiring someone with existing EU or Spanish work authorisation, and it is subject to labour market considerations. Many private academies recruit only from already-authorised candidates for that reason. Decide your position before advertising and say so in the listing.
- When is the hiring season for English teachers in Spain?
- Late summer, ahead of a September academic year start, with a smaller wave in January. The window is short and crowded, so starting earlier than the rest of the market is the single most effective thing a Spanish academy can do.
- What are our obligations as an employer in Spain?
- A properly registered employment contract with social security enrolment, stated hours and holiday entitlement. Candidates increasingly screen for whether the contract is genuine, so being clear about it is a recruitment advantage as well as a legal requirement.
- Do we need to provide accommodation?
- No, it is not the norm in Spain. Salaries are modest relative to Asia and the Gulf and candidates factor that in. Practical help finding accommodation costs you nothing and is genuinely useful to someone arriving for a September start.
Immigration and licensing requirements change. Confirm the current position with the relevant ministry or authority before you contract a teacher.