Can I work in Spain on a student visa?

Checked on 2026-10-25

Yes. A student stay for higher education lets you work as an employee or self-employed automatically, with no extra procedure, if the work fits around your studies. Other study stays need a work authorisation. Spain's immigration regulation caps work at 30 hours a week, generally; going over ends your student authorisation.

Key facts

What	The law says	Source
Higher education students	Can work as employees or self-employed automatically, no extra procedure, if compatible with studies	RD 1155/2024, art. 57.1
Other students (secondary, volunteering, training)	Need a work authorisation applied for by the employer or the student	RD 1155/2024, art. 57.1
Curricular internships	Covered by the student authorisation; no separate permit	RD 1155/2024, art. 57.1
Weekly limit	30 hours, except intensive vocational training	RD 1155/2024, art. 57.2
Going over the limit	Ground for ending the student authorisation	RD 1155/2024, art. 57.2
Where you can work	The autonomous community that granted your stay, plus bordering localities of another community	RD 1155/2024, art. 57.3
How long	Same as your student authorisation	RD 1155/2024, art. 57.4
Health insurance	Social Security registration from your job meets the requirement	RD 1155/2024, art. 57.5
Family members	Not allowed to work	RD 1155/2024, art. 56.6

Who can work without applying

Spain’s immigration regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024, in force since 20 May 2025) says a long-stay authorisation for higher education (university or non-university studies leading to a recognised higher education degree, art. 52.1.a) authorises you to work, as an employee or self-employed, automatically and without any additional procedure, as long as the work is compatible with your studies (art. 57.1).

Holders of other study stays (post-compulsory secondary education, student mobility, volunteering, training activities) can be authorised to work when the employer or the student applies. Employed work follows the requirements of art. 74 and self-employment those of art. 84, with some of them waived (art. 57.1). The work must be compatible with the activity your stay was granted for.

Curricular internships that are part of your study plan, run under an agreement between the company or body and your school, and that are not employment, need no extra authorisation (art. 57.1).

The limits

Hours: as a general rule, no more than 30 hours a week. Intensive vocational training follows its own sector rules. Breaking the limit is a ground for ending your student authorisation (art. 57.2).
Place: the work authorisation is limited to the autonomous community that granted your stay. You may work in localities of another community that border it, and the limit can be lifted if the workplace doesn’t mean constant travel that breaks compatibility with your studies (art. 57.3).
Duration: the right to work lasts as long as your student stay. Losing the stay, or being refused its extension, ends it (art. 57.4).

If you work, being registered with Social Security counts as meeting the health insurance requirement (art. 57.5).

Family members

Family members who come with a student on a student-family visa or authorisation are not authorised to work while it is valid (art. 56.6).

After you graduate you can apply to move to a residence and work permit without a visa (RD 1155/2024, art. 190).

Sources

Real Decreto 1155/2024, de 19 de noviembre, Reglamento de la Ley Orgánica 4/2000, arts. 52, 56 and 57 (consolidated text, BOE) checked 2026-10-25

Change history

2026-10-25: Page created

This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.