Which countries have a working holiday agreement with Spain?

Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Argentina. Each agreement has its own age band, quota and paperwork; you apply through the Spanish consulate in your own country.

Do I need a job offer before applying?

No. The visa is granted on nationality, age and basic means, and you look for work after you arrive. An employer cannot apply for it on your behalf.

How long can I stay and work?

Up to twelve months from your first entry. Work is meant to be secondary to the holiday, and several agreements cap paid work at six months in total — check the terms on your consulate’s page.

Can I extend it or switch to a work permit afterwards?

Working holiday visas are generally non-renewable. Switching to an ordinary work permit from inside Spain is possible only if an employer applies for you — see the visa sponsorship page — or if you qualify for the highly-qualified route.

Why doesn’t SpainJobs list working-holiday jobs?

Because there is no such thing as a working-holiday job: the visa is yours before you see an advert, and once you hold it any employer can hire you. Tagging adverts would only suggest a restriction that does not exist. Browse by what matters to you instead — jobs that don’t need Spanish, hospitality, teaching.

Working Holiday Visa for Spain

A youth-mobility visa you get from the Spanish consulate in your own country before you travel. No job offer, no employer paperwork — and once you hold it, any employer in Spain can hire you.

AustraliaNew ZealandCanadaJapanSouth KoreaArgentina

What it is

A youth-mobility visa under bilateral agreements between Spain and six countries. If you hold one of those passports and are inside the age band, you can live and work in Spain for up to a year without any employer applying for a permit.

It sits outside the ordinary immigration routes: no labour-market test, no salary threshold, no sponsor. The trade-off is that the stay is short, generally non-renewable, and not a step towards long-term residence on its own.

It is a visa for a person, not for a job. Nothing an employer writes in an advert makes a role more or less suited to it — which is why SpainJobs does not tag or filter jobs by it.

How to apply

1Apply in person at the Spanish consulate for where you live, before you travel — it cannot be applied for from inside Spain. Applications usually open no earlier than three months before your planned arrival, by appointment.
2Expect to show a valid passport, proof of funds for the stay, full-cover health insurance, a clean police record, usually a medical certificate, and a return ticket or the money for one. Some agreements add conditions of their own — Australia’s asks for two years of tertiary study and basic Spanish; Argentina’s for two years of university.
3Each agreement has an annual quota (500 a year for Argentina, for example), so apply early in the year if you can. Fees and processing times are set by each consulate.
4Once the visa is in your passport you can take any job that will hire you. Mention your visa status when you apply — most employers have never heard of the scheme.

Find your Spanish consulate Jobs that don’t need Spanish

What it isn’t

It is not a route for other nationalities. If your passport is not on the list, look at employer sponsorship, the highly-qualified route or the digital nomad visa instead.
It is not a way in for UK citizens yet. A UK–EU youth mobility scheme was agreed in principle in May 2025 but had not opened as of August 2026.
It is not a path to settling. Switching to an ordinary work permit from inside Spain needs an employer to apply for you, or a role that clears the highly-qualified threshold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which countries have a working holiday agreement with Spain?: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Argentina. Each agreement has its own age band, quota and paperwork; you apply through the Spanish consulate in your own country.
Do I need a job offer before applying?: No. The visa is granted on nationality, age and basic means, and you look for work after you arrive. An employer cannot apply for it on your behalf.
How long can I stay and work?: Up to twelve months from your first entry. Work is meant to be secondary to the holiday, and several agreements cap paid work at six months in total — check the terms on your consulate’s page.
Can I extend it or switch to a work permit afterwards?: Working holiday visas are generally non-renewable. Switching to an ordinary work permit from inside Spain is possible only if an employer applies for you — see the visa sponsorship page — or if you qualify for the highly-qualified route.
Why doesn’t SpainJobs list working-holiday jobs?: Because there is no such thing as a working-holiday job: the visa is yours before you see an advert, and once you hold it any employer can hire you. Tagging adverts would only suggest a restriction that does not exist. Browse by what matters to you instead — jobs that don’t need Spanish, hospitality, teaching.