Spain residence and work authorisation for highly qualified professionals 2026

This is a Spanish authorisation of temporary residence and work for a foreign professional who lives outside Spain and will carry out a job that requires a higher education qualification or, exceptionally, a minimum of professional experience. It has two modalities: a residence authorisation for holders of the EU Blue Card and a national residence authorisation for highly qualified professionals. The applicant must not be a citizen of an EU or EEA state or a Swiss citizen, nor a family member of such a citizen to whom the Union citizen regime applies.

For the EU Blue Card modality, the applicant needs a higher education qualification of at least three years or, alternatively, five years of comparable professional experience, reduced to three years within the last seven for information and communication technology professionals. A valid employment contract or a firm offer of highly qualified employment for a period of at least six months is also required, guaranteeing continuous activity during the validity of the card. For the national modality, a degree comparable at least to the first level of the Spanish higher education qualifications framework, or three years of equivalent professional experience, is enough.

In both cases the applicant must be over eighteen, have no criminal record in Spain or in the countries of residence over the last two years, hold public or private health insurance valid in Spain and show sufficient resources for themselves and their family. The application is submitted by the foreign company or professional on the International Mobility form, with a legalised higher education diploma, the signed employment contract and proof of payment of the fee. Documents issued in another language need a sworn translation.

The sheet sets no application window, so applications can be submitted at any time.