Unfortunately, some forms are only available in Spanish. However, during our visa consultation call, we provide translations to help our participants understand!
Did you know that as a Canadian citizen, you can live and work in Spain for up to two years with the Spain Working Holiday Visa? Imagine yourself walking down Barcelona’s lively promenades, admiring street performers, and enjoying sangria and tapas at local restaurants. It’s all possible with a working holiday visa! Before you get there, you will need to get some paperwork together and file your visa application. We’ll cover it all in this post, so let’s jump in.
A working holiday is an extended trip where you work abroad to help fund your travels in a particular country. The working holiday visa is the permit that allows you to stay in a country for longer than a tourist. It also allows you to work, which tourists are not allowed to do.
Did you know Canadian citizens are eligible for working holiday visas in over 30 countries around the world? We’re very lucky to have many opportunities to experience working and travelling abroad!
In order to be eligible to apply for the Spain Working Holiday Visa, you must meet the following conditions:
Year-round sunshine, for starters. There are no winter blues here, and Spaniards utilize this to the fullest, whether soaking up the sun at the beach, sharing tapas on patios or getting active in the great outdoors. You won’t find a better work-life balance than in Spain!
They’re a famously friendly bunch too, making the perfect companions to practice your Spanish with. Discover more about living in Spain, and if you’re dreaming of making the big leap abroad, our Spain Send-Off Program will make the transition seamless, from your working holiday visa application to getting a job and so much more. For additional in-country support, two weeks of accommodation and language lessons, our Kick-Start Spain Program is the perfect introduction to life in Spain!
The working holiday visa for Spain is part of a larger Youth Mobility Program. This program provides opportunities for youth from Canada and Spain to experience work and travel in each other’s countries. In this program, there are five visas available to Canadian citizens. These five categories include:
A) Post-secondary graduates who wish to obtain additional training in Spain through a pre-arranged job;
B) Students registered at a Canadian post-secondary institution who want to complete part of their studies at a Spanish institution, including under inter-institution agreements;
C) Young professionals wishing to obtain additional training in Spain through a pre-arranged job that contributes to their professional development;
D) Students registered at a Canadian post-secondary institution who plan to travel to Spain during academic vacations and wish to work on a casual basis to support the cost of the trip;
E) Young Canadians who plan to travel to Spain and who wish to work on a casual basis to support the cost of their trip;
What all this means is that there are two options for Canadian citizens wanting to do a working holiday in Spain:
Category D: if you are a post-secondary student and want to work during your trip to Spain.
Category E: if you are not a student and want to work during your trip to Spain.
We’ve put together an overview of how to apply for the Spain Working Holiday Visa as a Canadian passport holder. Scroll down for the step-by-step process, or click the links below to skip through the steps.
Step 2: Prepare your Spain Visa Application Documents
Step 3: Submit the Spain Working Holiday Visa Application
Final Step: Travel to Spain and Collect your Spain Residence Card
Visa processing time: We recommend contacting Stepabroad and starting the visa process four to six months before you plan to depart.
Important to note: You must enter Spain within 90 days of your visa being granted to you.
Cost of application: $132 CAD.
Application method: Depending on your location in Canada, the application may be one or two parts. You must submit your application in person at your local Spanish embassy or consulate. (The mail option is no longer available)
Before beginning your Spain visa application you need to get an NIE (Foreigners Identification Number). Your NIE will be your personal identification and tax number for Spain. It is required in order to submit your visa application.
To get your NIE, you must gather the following documents and fill out the necessary forms:
Passport
You must have a valid Canadian passport for the duration of the visa.
Photocopy of biographical pages of your passport
This is the page of your passport which shows your passport photo and personal details.
Proof of economic, professional, or social interests
This will be used to justify your application to live and work in Spain.
EX-15 form
This form must be completed, and then printed.
Form 790
You must complete, sign, download, and print this form.
Consular fee
This fee must be presented in exact cash. The fee is $14.40 CAD as of February 6th, 2020.
If you live in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario (except Ottawa), Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, or Nunavut:Â You can apply for the NIE at your designated Spanish consulate in Toronto.
If you live in Quebec (except Gatineau), Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or New Brunswick:
You can apply for the NIE at your designated Spanish consulate in Montreal.
If you live in Ottawa or Gatineau:
You can apply for the NIE at the Spanish Embassy in Ottawa.
Once you receive your NIE, you can begin your Spain Working Holiday Visa application. You will need to gather the following documents:
Important: You must submit both the originals and photocopies of all documents.
NIE
What you’ve received after completing step one.
Passport
Ensure your passport is valid for the entire duration of your working holiday in Spain.
Passport photo
The photo must have been taken within the last six months from the date you submit your application. It needs to be a professional passport photo.
Application forms
Fill out the required Spain working holiday visa application form. Be sure to complete it correctly to avoid delays in your application.
Proof of travel insurance
Provide evidence that you have travel insurance for the total duration of your working holiday in Spain.
A return ticket
Show that you have a return flight departing Spain or enough funds to purchase one.
Proof of funds
Prove you have at least $3,000 CAD of accessible funds. This is not how much the visa costs. It shows you have enough money to support yourself in Spain.
Fee
The visa processing fee is $117.20 CAD. You can pay this fee with cash, money order, or certified cheque.
Criminal record check
You will need a criminal record check with fingerprints for anywhere that you have lived in the past five years. You will then need to authenticate your criminal record check and translate it into Spanish. This process normally takes around 5 months in total.
Medical certificate
Obtain a medical certificate from a recognized doctor in Canada to prove you are in good health.
Once you have all of the above documents gathered, submit them to the Spanish Consulate. Make an appointment to apply in person.
There are three consulates in Canada — Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa. Each consulate is responsible for certain regions in Canada. Be sure to submit your application to the consulate whose jurisdiction you reside in.
Email the Toronto consulate to arrange an appointment.
Email the Ottawa consulate to arrange an appointment.
Email the Montreal consulate to arrange an appointment.
Each consulate’s business hours are very limited. Keep in mind you will need to work around their schedule.
Review your application thoroughly before paying to ensure you made no mistakes and have filled in everything correctly. If your visa application is denied, you are not given a refund for the application fee.
Once you have submitted your Spain Working Holiday Visa Application, you can sit back and wait. Processing time takes anywhere between three and six weeks. However, it is also possible for it to take longer, up to several months. If this happens, send a follow-up email to check on the status of your application.
Important: The Spanish Consulate will hold onto your passport for the duration of the time they are processing your visa, so make sure you don’t have any out-of-country travel plans during this time.
If you have followed our instructions and completed the application correctly, you will receive your visa! You have to return to the processing office in person to pick up your passport
You’re not quite finished yet. There is one more step to complete once you arrive in Spain.
Once you receive your passport back with your visa inside, you have 90 days to enter Spain. After entering the country, visit the Oficinas de Tramitación Para Ciudadanos Extranjeros to pick up your residence card.
Fill in the form and our team will get in touch to help you plan the trip of a lifetime!
Unfortunately, some forms are only available in Spanish. However, during our visa consultation call, we provide translations to help our participants understand!
You will need to email your local consulate to request an appointment, but we will provide you with an email template to help you secure your date.
Some new rules came into effect in early 2024, which made the process of obtaining a suitable criminal record check a lot more complicated than it used to be! During our visa consultation call with clients, we will provide step by step instructions on how to obtain a suitable criminal record check. This new process involves a lot of steps, so we recommend signing up and starting your journey at least 6 months before your intended departure to Spain!
Timelines for the NIE processing can be unpredictable, but it typically takes 6-12 weeks.
Unfortunately not. There are no priority processing options available for Spain that allow you to bypass the standard processing timelines. While many other destinations are able to issue a Working Holiday visa within a few weeks, when it comes to Spain, patience is key!
The travel insurance for the Spanish visa application must span your entire duration of stay in Spain, while also including hospitalization and repatriation. There is also a minimum amount of coverage that you must purchase, but we will provide more information and recommendations on insurance providers during your visa consultation call!