Working Holiday Visa in Spain

About this visa

Follow the Guide to Apply for a Working Holiday Visa in Spain

Australians, Canadians, Japanese, South Koreans and New Zealanders have the unique opportunity to apply for the Working Holiday visa (For Canadians; Youth Mobility Program).

**You must speak a basic level of Spanish in order to apply for this working holiday visa.

COVID-19 UPDATE

Spain did reopen their borders to international on 1st July. However, they have experienced another COVID-19 outbreak in the Northern part of Spain, so La Marina and Segrià is closed down for tourists.

Find out more here


Participating countries

Spain has made Working Holiday visa agreements with the following 5 participating countries:

If you are a Citizen of Spain and are considering a Working Holiday experience in one of the participating countries above, contact the Embassy of the country in question for more information.


With this visa you can

This visa allows you to:

  • Live in Spain for up to one year
  • Work on a casual basis for up to 3 months per employer
  • Visit other EU countries within the visa period

Things to note

For australians

You need to be able to speak Spanish. Find out what level of Spanish is required here

 


Conditions

  1. Be a citizen of one of the participating countries
  2. Hold valid passport for a period longer than that of their proposed stay in Spain.
  3. Be aged between 18 – 30 years old (both ages inclusive) on the date the application is submitted.
  4. Posses sufficient funds for personal support during the stay in Spain
  5. Pay the stipulated visa application fee.
  6. Have a return ticket or sufficient funds to purchase it.
  7. Have successfully completed at least two years of higher education.
  8. Possess a functional level of Spanish (details below).
  9. Meet the health requirements, with the medical insurance policy needed before entering Spain, in accordance with the Spanish immigration laws and regulations.
  10. Meet the character requirements imposed by the Kingdom of Spain (equivalent to the ‘certificado de antecedentes penales’ in Spain).
  11. Not to be accompanied by dependants.
  12. Not to have previously taken part in the Programme.

Note: The visa conditions outlined above are subject to change without notice.


How to apply

  • Normal processing time: 3-6 weeks
  • Visa fee: EUR 60

Applying from your home country

Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders must apply in person for the Working Holiday visa/Youth Mobility program at their respective Spanish embassies.

For australians

Follow the link here to find the checklist for applying for the working holiday visa.

You must apply in person at a Spanish Consulate or Embassy in Australia

Find out where here

For new zealanders

You must collect the required visa documents before applying. See the visa requirements list above.

Visit the Spanish Embassy in Wellington

For Canadians

If you reside in Ottawa, these are the steps for Canadians to apply for the Spanish Youth Mobility Program:

  • Book an online appointment with the Spanish Embassy in Ottawa
    Book an appointment with the Visa section
  • Fill out the required visa application form plus collect the required documents for the visa application
  • Submit originals and photocopies of the following documents:
    • A filled out and signed visa application form, filled with a recent full-face photograph attached to its right top corner(Passport sized photo)
    • A valid passport with a minimum validity of one year prior to entry into Spain.
    • Documentation such as a medical insurance card, a driver’s permit, etc., which shows your residency in Canada.
    • A return ticket or sufficient funds to purchase it.
    • Proof of economic funds ( CAD $2,580.00 for the year 2018) through bank statements issued within the previous two months
    • A medical insurance policy covering hospitalisation and repatriation for the entire authorized period of their stay
    • If the duration of the stay is over six months, a Police Check issued by the authorities of all the countries where an applicant has resided for the last 5 years, including Canada (But they do not accept Police Checks issued by local Police Stations).
    • If the duration of the stay is over six months, a medical certificate issued by the applicant’s family doctor worded as follows ““This medical certificate states that Mr./Mrs.….. does not suffer from any diseases that may have serious consequences on public health in accordance with the provisions contained in the 2005 International Health Regulations.”
  • Attend your appointment at the Spanish Embassy in Ottawa Spanish Embassy in Ottawa

If you do not reside in Ottawa, you must apply via the following steps:

  • Apply for the Foreigner Identification Number. You can do this here
  • Fill out the required visa application form plus collect the required documents for the visa application
  • Submit originals and photocopies of the following documents:
    • A filled out and signed visa application form, filled with a recent full-face photograph attached to its right top corner(Passport sized photo)
    • A valid passport with a minimum validity of one year prior to entry into Spain.
    • Documentation such as a medical insurance card, a driver’s permit, etc., which shows your residency in Canada.
    • A return ticket or sufficient funds to purchase it.
    • Proof of economic funds ( CAD $2,580.00 for the year 2018) through bank statements issued within the previous two months
    • A medical insurance policy covering hospitalisation and repatriation for the entire authorized period of their stay
    • If the duration of the stay is over six months, a Police Check issued by the authorities of all the countries where an applicant has resided for the last 5 years, including Canada (But they do not accept Police Checks issued by local Police Stations).
    • If the duration of the stay is over six months, a medical certificate issued by the applicant’s family doctor worded as follows ““This medical certificate states that Mr./Mrs.….. does not suffer from any diseases that may have serious consequences on public health in accordance with the provisions contained in the 2005 International Health Regulations.”
    • Send the application form included the documentation to the Spanish consulate in Toronto. The email address is:  cog.toronto.vis@maec.es

The immigration authority in Spain for processing Working Holiday visa's is Spanish Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

Go to: Spanish Foreign Affairs and Cooperation


Additional resources

Here are additional links and resources related to the Working Holiday visa in Spain. All resources are in English unless otherwise stated.

Fact sheet on Working Holiday Visa in Spain from the Spanish Consulate in Toronto.


Need more help?

If you are seeking advice about Working Holiday visa's drop a comment below and we will be happy to answer any Working Holiday & Youth Mobility visa question you have! We are travellers too! 🙂

Ask a question below

33 thoughts on “Working Holiday Visa in Spain”

  1. I am a UK citizen and stay at my parent’s house in Spain each year during July. This year, I would like to be able to work remotely ‘from the overseas home’ but only for a maximum of 5 days. My UK company agree to this but as long as I ensure that I meet the visa requirements to be able to enter the country and work remotely from that location. What visa do I need to apply for as I am reading conflicting advice. It is purely a holiday and I want to be able to remotely connect to my work desktop. Not to conduct business but as a PA to manage the business. Thanking you.

  2. Hello, I’m a new zealander living in Australia and looking to apply for my working holiday visa for next year. I can’t seem to find a link to any online resources, can someone please advise how to proceed?

  3. Hola!
    I am a Canadian Citizen, and a permanent resident of Australia. I am under the age of 35. I have lived in Australia for the last 5 years. Can I apply for the youth mobility Visa? I want to work as an au pair for 3 months with 2 different families. I am currently learning Spanish. Any other advice would be appreciated!

  4. Hi, I’m from new zealand. I’m currently living in norway but am planning a trip back to new Zealand to apply for a working holiday visa. I have a couple of questions.

    1. For all countries i understand one of the requirements is to “have a basic level of spanish”. How do they test for this? Do I need to do an accredited course and provide paper work. Or does the appointment I will have at the spanish embassy in new Zealand include a spoken test of some sort with the person dealing with your application?

    2. Another requirement is 2 years of higher education. I unfortunately only have 1. How strict are they on this? Will my visa get declined if I can’t provide this.

  5. Hiya,

    Thanks for this super helpful page!

    I am in the process of applying for this visa and I am wondering what health insurance policies from what companies would be within what is needed for the NZ version of this visa.

  6. Hello! I’m a Canadian living in Toronto and currently filling out my visa application form for the youth mobility visa to live in Spain for 1 year.

    Question 20 on page 2 of the visa application form asks for the “Principal purpose of journey” and the options are:
    1: Residence without work permit
    2: Residence – Family reunion
    3: Residence – Employee
    4: Residence – Self employed
    5: Residence – Temporary work as employee (nine months a year)
    6: Studies
    7: Research (within the framework of hosting agreement signed by research organization)
    8: Accreditation

    What option should I be selecting if I’m applying for the youth mobility visa for Category E (working holiday)? Would it be #5: “Residence – Temporary work as employee (nine months a year)”?

    And then the section below asks for your address in Spain and things along those lines, I assume I just leave those blank and it will be okay?

    Thank you in advance for your help! 🙂

    1. Hello Lisa,

      I am in the process of submitting the visa and have the same doubt regarding Question 20, I am also applying for category E.

      Can you kindly please share what you ended up selecting for that part?

      Feel free to email me directly or reply here.

      Thanks much in advance.
      Rama

  7. Hi I hold a Japanese passport and I have a few questions

    1. It says I must speak a basic Spanish but where can I check the level? (is it absolutely necessary?)
    2. Can I apply online or I have to go to the Spanish Embassy in Japan?
    3. If i can apply online where can I find it…

  8. Hello,

    I’m an Australian citizen living in Spain on a Youth Mobility Visa that expires in mid-October this year. Once my visa expires, I’m wondering if I can stay in Spain for an extra 90 days as a tourist? If so, do I need to leave Spain temporarily and re-enter Spain? Or could I just move on as Schengen tourist automatically without leaving Spain temporarily?

    Many thanks!
    Jenna

    1. Hi Jenna, sorry to bother you but hopefully you may be able to help me as I am applying for this visa soon from Australia! Do you recall exactly which documents needed translating and apostilling? I am hearing vastly different answers about the medical certificate and my university transcript especially. Did you have to get these documents apostilled?

  9. Also when you say to submit a passport and driver’s license etc you don’t mean mail those things to them do you?

    1. Hi again Declan,

      You just need to submit a copy of those documents, so you can just scan the passport and drivers license and send them to the Embassy.

      Cheers,
      Maria

  10. Hi, I’m currently living in Vancouver, Canada and I’m hoping to apply for this visa. Do you recommend mailing all the documents to them or is doing it another way easier?

    1. Hi Declan,

      According to the Spanish Foreign Affairs you must apply in person, at the Embassy of Spain in Ottawa, however due to COVID-19 you may be able to apply via email. My best advice to you is to send them an email to see if you are able to apply via email to them before submitting all the documents to them 🙂

      Cheers,
      Maria

      1. If he’s in Vancouver, he applies to the Consulate of Toronto via registered mail! Even pre-COVID that was the rules. Only residents of Ottawa have to make in-person appointments at the embassy there.

        1. Hi Nah,

          Thank you for your comment that is now noted and updated on the website accordingly.

          Cheers,
          Maria

      2. Hi, I’m from New Zealand and wanting to get a working holiday visa for Spain once I have my Covid vaccine.
        I’ve looked at the website that’s linked here but can not find information on the working holiday visa

  11. Hi, I am a little confused with the terminology of the visa. I had understood that this kind of visa was called Youth Mobility Visa but over here is described as: Working Holiday visa. I have done a bit of research as I am on a youth mobility visa in England as a Canadian but at the end of this term I want to apply for the same sort of visa but for Spain. What I have found in the Canadian website is thar there are 5 categories of Youth Mobility Visa for Spain and one of them (e) is called Working Holiday which I believe is the one being told about on this article. That has confused as I thought it was just one type of youth mobility visa for a maximum of 1 year but it seems that this kind is only for 6 months? Are there any types where I would need to have a pre arranged job before arriving to España or with any of them I could get there without a job and look when I’m there? I’m also asking because it seems like you can extend your visa but apparently it has to be within the 5 types but a different one as the start up one and would I have to comeback to Canada for that or could I arrange to stay in Spain and do it from there? What would be then the maximum of time possible you can stay there with this visa assuming you extend it? Thank you.

    1. Hi Julian,

      Most countries call it working holiday visa, but Canada and UK call it a youth mobility visa but they are both the same just different names 🙂
      For the category e visa, you can live and work in Spain for up to 12 months, but you can only work for an employer for max. of 6 months.
      You do not need a pre arranged job, as you can find one when you arrive in Spain.
      You can extend this visa for one more year, but it has to be under a different category. You can apply for the second year visa at the Embassy of Canada in Madrid.
      Find more information here – https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadians/international-experience-canada/work-travel-spain.html

      Cheers
      Maria

      1. Unfortunately they cannot “Extend.” They must physically leave Spain for three months minimum and re-apply for the program in Canada. This is non-negotiable. The only way to “extend” is to apply for an initial permit to switch visas (so to a student visa, for instance). This application must be submitted to the local Extranjeria office a minimum of 30 days prior to the expiration of the Youth Mobility.

  12. Hi, I’m already in Spain with a Working Holiday Visa, but it expires in September. Can my visa be extended or renewed?. If yes can I do it from Spain without having to come back to Canada?. Thks.

    1. Hi Alexander,

      According to Canada’s Immmigration and Travel department you can extend your stay via the youth mobility program you are already on.

      “You can participate in Spain’s Youth Mobility Program two times. Your second participation must be in a different category and there must be a break of at least three months between the two participations.” https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadians/international-experience-canada/work-travel-spain.html

      But you must follow one of the category criterias.

      In order to apply visit the Embassy of Canada in Madrid. They can help you with applying for the youth mobility program.

      Cheers,
      Maria

      1. Again, Embassy of Canada cannot help you on this! It’s a hard and fast rule. In fact, they will barely advise you on visa/immigration matters as this is not their jurisdiction. They will re-direct you to contact the Embassy of Spain in Ottawa, or, more likely, the Consulate of Spain in Toronto, both who will tell you that it is impossible to extend the Youth Mobility in Spain.

  13. I wanted to know if I have to pass a particular accredited Spanish exam to be able to travel to Spain with a working holiday visa? I have been doing an advanced B2 Spanish course for the last 2 years.

    1. Hi Camilla,

      As long as you can prove your advanced B2 Spanish course in paper, you are good to go.
      You just need to submit this document with your visa application.

      Cheers
      Maria

  14. Hello,
    I am a Canadian residing in Vancouver, BC. How can I apply for the working holiday visa to Spain from here? Is there a way to apply online without attending appointment at the Spanish embassy in Ottawa?
    Thanks.
    Alex

  15. I am a New Zealander living in the United Kingdom; how do I apply for a working holiday visa for Spain from the UK?

    Many thanks
    Shannon

    1. Hi Shannon, thanks for asking. Since you’re outside of Australia the option of visiting the Australian Consulate is off the table. I’ve spoken with the Embassy of Spain here in the ACT this morning and they’ve advised that you should contact the Spanish Embassy in London and make an appointment for an in-person visit to submit your application, if that fails then you will be required to either risk it and enter Spain on a tourist visa and *fingers crossed* transition to a WHV or return to Australia and submit an application in person to your nearest Spanish Embassy or Consulate. Let us know how you go!

Leave a Reply to Alexandra Fielding Cancel reply

Remember to include where you are from and whether you currently living outside your home country.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RSS
Follow by Email
Instagram