Using an employer of record in Spain
See how a Spain EOR helps you hire locally with ease. Payoneer WFM’s Employer of Record services in Spain simplify compliance, payroll, onboarding, and more.
Hiring employees living in Spain to work for your international firm, like a U.S.-based company, can be a complex process.
Before onboarding talent in Spain, you must fully understand local labor and employment laws to help your business stay compliant.
If youโre concerned about the legalities of hiring abroad, consider partnering with an employer of record. Spainโs local labor laws are easy to navigate with the support of an EOR offered by Payoneer Workforce Management (WFM).
We act as the legal employer on your behalf, managing HR, tax, and payroll responsibilities while your team focuses on day-to-day operations.
Find out more about how Payoneer WFM can help your business. Continue reading to learn what an EOR in Spain does and how it helps.
How to hire employees in Spain
There are three main ways for U.S.-based companies to hire talent in Spain.
- Setting up a local entity: Establishing a legal business presence in Spain allows you to operate smoothly within the country, but this pathway can be costly and time-consuming.
- Hiring independent contractors: Working with self-employed contractors offers a great deal of flexibility, but be careful not to misclassify other employees as contractors.
- Work with an employer of record in Spain: Handing over your global recruitment processes to a Spain EOR helps you stay compliant with local recruitment laws.
Partner with an employer of record in Spain
An EOR is a third-party company that employs workers on your behalf. In Spain, employer of record services allow you to hire talent locally without setting up a Spanish entity.
From hiring and onboarding talent to managing payroll and local labor law compliance, working with an EOR in Spain is an easy and hassle-free way to manage the complete employee life cycle.
Payoneer WFM offers EOR services in 160+ countries, including Spain. Find out more about how we can support your business.
How to onboard employees in Spain
When onboarding a new employee in Spain, you want to ensure the process is as smooth and seamless as possible. Here are some steps to consider:
- Add to payroll: Your employee should be paid in euros (EUR), unless they have explicitly agreed otherwise.
- Enroll with benefits: All benefits offered should comply with local Spanish labor laws.
- Configure devices and set up work accounts: Ensure all required devices are ordered for the employee and make sure they have logins for all the apps they need to do their job.
- Orientation: Set a schedule for your employeeโs first week, making sure to set up introductory meetings with each member of their new team.
- Support ongoing integration: Check in regularly during the first weeks to answer questions and address challenges.
Pay employees in Spain
In Spain, the tax year aligns with the calendar year, commencing on January 1st and concluding on December 31st. Spanish employers typically pay their employees monthly, on the last working day of each month.
Minimum wage in Spain is currently EUR 1,184, paid in 14 installments across the year.
When paying your employees, itโs important to be aware of the required tax deductions in Spain. These include:
- Income tax: Employers withhold 19% to 47% of the employeeโs salary for income tax, depending on their earnings. There is also a new “solidarity contribution” for yearly earnings over EUR 4,909.50 per month, starting from 0.77% borne by the employer and 0.15% by the employee.
- Social security: Employees contribute 6.48% and employers contribute 30.57%.
- Professional training fund: Employees contribute 0.1% and employers contribute 0.6%.
Paying employees is hassle-free with the support of an EOR.
Spainโs rules on paying employees can be found in more detail here.
Employment laws in Spain
In Spain, employment laws are covered in the Workersโ Statute, known as the Estatuto de los Trabajadores. The Labor Guide provides further information on Spanish labor legislation.
Here are the employment laws you need to be aware of when hiring in Spain.
- Working hours: Your employee should work a maximum of 40 hours per week.
- Overtime: The overtime should not exceed 80 hours per year, and should be compensated with overtime pay or additional rest periods.
- Probation period: Probation periods vary by contract type, employee skills, and company size, but this should not exceed 6 months for a highly-skilled employee.
- Rest days: An employee has to have 1.5 rest days per week, which can be accumulated over 14 days.
- Remuneration frequency: Spanish employers typically pay their employees monthly, on the last working day of the month.
Minimum wage in Spain
The current minimum annual wage in Spain is EUR 16,576, which is equivalent to $19,501.
Spanish employment laws state that employees must receive 2 additional mandatory payments a year, known as 13th- and 14th-month pay.
Most employers divide their employeesโ yearly salary into 14 payments, with employees usually receiving double payments in July and December.
An employee on minimum wage will therefore be paid 14 installments of EUR 1,184 ($1,392.93) throughout the year.
The Spanish minimum wage also applies to employees working as seasonal and domestic workers and is calculated based on their working hours and contract type.
Minimum wage is reviewed and adjusted by state governments periodically to align with inflation and cost of living, so itโs crucial to stay updated on the latest minimum wage rates to ensure your business stays compliant.
Working with a Spain EOR like Payoneer WFM is one of the best ways to do this.
Employment contracts in Spain
In Spain, employment contracts can either be written or verbal. However, a written contract is strongly advised to ensure clarity for both parties and avoid any ambiguity.
In Spain, employment contracts must include:
- The employeeโs full name and address
- Job title and description
- Contract type (e.g., fixed-term or permanent)
- Start date (and end date if the contract is fixed-term)
- Agreed salary and any additional compensation
- Benefit entitlements
- Typical working hours
- Details of the probation period
- Termination rules and processes
- Employeeโs statutory rights
Working with an employer of record in Spain helps ease the challenge of creating contracts that adhere to local employment laws.
Leave policy in Spain
To ensure your business stays compliant with leave policies in Spain, consider partnering with an Employer of Record. Spainโs leave policies include:
Leave type | Entitlement |
---|---|
Public holidays | Spain observes 14 paid public holidays, all of which are offered to employees as paid time off. |
Vacation leave | Employees in Spain get 30 calendar days of vacation per year. This allowance typically includes weekends, which equates to 22 working days per year for every employee. |
Sick leave | Employees are entitled to paid sick leave at 60% of their normal wage if they are unwell and unable to work for more than 3 days. Their employer pays this. If the employee is still unwell after 16 days, they receive 75% of their normal wage, paid by the Spanish social security system. |
Parental leave | New parents can take 16 weeks of paid leave at 100% of their normal wage to care for their new baby. |
Other | Spain also gives employees 15 days of paid leave when they get married, and 1 day of paid leave when they move home. |
Understanding and staying compliant with these leave policies is critical when hiring in Spain, but this can be both complex and time-consuming if youโre not based locally.
Consider partnering with an Employer of Record in Spain to easily manage your employeesโ PTO while staying compliant with Spanish leave policies.
Work permit in Spain
Spain requires all non-EU/EEA nationals to have a work permit and visa if they wish to work in the country.
The most common types of work permits in Spain include:
- Highly-qualified permit: For professionals working in industries that require specific skills and training, valid for 2 years
- Employed worker permit: For individuals working in in-demand occupations
- Seasonal worker permit: For employees who wish to carry out seasonal work in Spain, valid for 9 months
- Digital nomad permit: For individuals who work remotely from Spain for a company based outside of Spain
The cost of a work permit in Spain varies depending on the country of residence and the permit being applied for. However, the consular visa fee for U.S. residents applying for a highly-qualified visa is currently $190.
Costs usually include a residence permit application fee and a consular visa fee.
Background check in Spain
While running background checks on new employees is not a legal requirement in Spain, itโs an increasingly common process among employers.
Popular types of employee background checks in Spain include:
- Employment history
- Education history
- Reference checks
- Work authorization checks
However, criminal record checks are usually banned in Spain, and must not be carried out unless the candidate is applying for a job in one of a select few industries. These include public administration, the police, and the army.
Employment termination in Spain
Under Spanish labor law, an employer may terminate an employeeโs contract for disciplinary reasons, when the employee has done something wrong, or for objective reasons.
Examples include:
- Repeated and unjustified absences from work (disciplinary)
- Verbal or physical offences against the employer (disciplinary)
- Continued poor performance despite support and training (objective)
If you have to dismiss the employee due to economic, technical, organizational, or production-related reasons, they will be entitled to severance pay.
This equates to 20 days of pay for every year theyโve worked for you, up to a maximum of 12 months’ pay.
In the case of objective terminations, the employer must give the employee 15 daysโ notice. Disciplinary dismissals require no notice.
Company registration in Spain
To hire employees directly, companies must register a legal entity. This includes:
- Choosing a company structure (SL/SRL, SA, Autรณnomo, Sociedad Civil, etc.)
- Completing the legal formalities based on the chosen structure (notarial deeds, company statutes, etc.)
- Registering the company in the local Commercial Registry
- Securing any sector-specific licenses or permits
Further information can be found on the Spanish governmentโs website. However, using a Spain EOR is a much simpler and easier option for most U.S.-based companies.
PEO in Spain
If youโre looking for support with hiring and onboarding employees in Spain, you may choose to work with a PEO (Professional Employer Organization) or an EOR.
Spain PEOs are a good option if you have already set up a local entity and are just looking to outsource HR responsibilities in your business.
However, if you havenโt already set up a local entity, itโs best to partner with EOR services. A Spain EOR acts as the legal employer on your behalf.
This includes managing taxes, benefits, timesheets, and payroll, all while staying compliant with local labor and employment laws.
Payoneer WFM: Leading EOR services in Spain
For one of the best employer of record services in Spain, employers should look no further than Payoneer WFM.
From onboarding new hires quickly and compliantly without a local entity to running global payroll securely and within a few clicks, Payoneer WFM has everything your business needs to hire, pay, and manage your global team.
FAQs about the Spain employer of record
1) What is an employer of record in Spain?
An EOR in Spain is a third-party organization that employs talent on your behalf and streamlines hiring and onboarding processes for employees working in Spain, including managing compliance with local labor and recruitment laws.
2) Who is the best employer of record in Spain?
Payoneer WFM is a leading employer of record in the global market, including Spain. It becomes easier to adhere to Spainโs local labor and employment laws with Payoneer WFMโs support.
3) How much does EOR cost in Spain?
The cost of an EOR depends on the service provider. For instance, Payoneer WFM offers Employer of Record services in Spain starting at $349 a month. Overall, the cost of working with an EOR is far lower than the cost of setting up a local legal entity.
Disclaimer
Nothing herein should be construed as if Payoneer Inc. or its affiliates are soliciting or inviting any person outside the jurisdiction where it operates/is licensed to engage in payment services provided by Payoneer Inc. or its affiliates, unless permitted by applicable laws. Any products/services availability are subject to customerโs eligibility. The availability of this product is not guaranteed and may vary. Not all products/services are available in all jurisdictions in the same manner.
Related resources
Latest articles
-
A guide to starting a business in Estonia as a non-citizen
If youโve thought about opening a new business somewhere with plenty of government support, expanding your business into the EU, or making it easier to work as a contractor or digital nomad anywhere in the European Economic Area (EEA), you should think about starting a business in Estonia…
-
How to simplify payment operations with Payoneerโs automation feature
Save time, reduce costs, and eliminate errors with Payoneerโs new payment automation feature.
-
How to prevent online payment fraud as an SMB
Prevent online payment fraud by overcoming challenges like phishing, fake accounts, and account takeovers (ATO) with enhanced security features from Payoneer.
-
Amazon Fees & Policy Updates 2024
Amazon regularly makes planned updates to fees and policies that may impact Payoneer customers that sell on Amazon. To keep Payoneer customers informed regarding upcoming and past updates, weโre providing a list of known changes to Amazon fees and Policy updates.
-
How Payoneerโs target exchange rate feature will help you save more on bank withdrawals
Boost savings with Payoneerโs target exchange rate feature.
-
Navigating phishing attacks: A guide to keeping your Payoneer account secure
Keeping your funds safe is our number one priority at Payoneer. While phishing attempts can happen, arming yourself with knowledge is key to keeping your data and money safe