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What will it cost
The cost of a work permit depends on a number of factors, principally on whether you use a gestorta or a lawyer or you handle the application on your own, and whether you have found ajob or will work on your own account.
If you have ajob, your employer will pay most of the expenses and will probably steer you through the entire process. If you are self-employed, you had better figure €500 to €700, including all the taxes and fees.
If your Spanish is reasonably good, you can probably handle the matter yourself. Obtain the forms from your local police station or from the Del egación de Trabajo, fill them out, present them and wait to see what happens.
The first step is for the police to clear your residence permit application. This can take a month or more. Then the papers go to the Labour ministry office in your province, where they rule on your work permit request. The Government Sub-Delegate (formerly Civil Governor) office also vets it. If granted, you then receive a combined work and residence permit.
The application forms themselves, the solicitud, are free, but they are the only item on your list that is. By the time you have added the IAE at, say, €200, your first Social Security payment of €205, plus any possible costs for opening permits and other fees, you are looking at a real expense.
Few foreigners, however, will feel confident enough with their Spanish and their familiarity with bureaucratic ins and outs to handle their work permit application on their own.
They will turn to a competent gestorta. The only way to find one is to make enquiries among people who have work permits and who can recommend a particular gestor. Their advice can be invaluable.
As in any country, there are right ways and wrong ways to go about things, and a good gestor will know the right way. He will also be up to date on recent rulings of the Labour ministry, and can advise you on whether or not you are likely to get a permit. He may suggest that you word the application in a certain way, for example.
For a work permit, one gestor recently charged the rock-bottom figure of €150, with the taxes and fees added to this. Or you can use a lawyer. This, of course, can cost you €300 or more, in addition to the fees and taxes, but if you are starting a business, employing others, purchasing property for commercial use, or if you feel your particular case may need a little extra explaining, this fee can seem quite reasonable.
A lawyer will be able to advise you on many questions outside the competence of the gestorta, such as aspects of investment procedures. Again, make enquiries among people working already to find a lawyer who has given satisfaction.
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