Here is my situation:
I am only 17. But taking almost 9 years of Spanish (it is required from 4th grade in my state) will do something to you: make you have an uncontrollable urge to live in Spain, love Spain, be obsessed with Spain.
So basically, I've read on here of the "horrors" of applying for permits, how long it takes, and people contemplating living there illegally. But, I do not want to live there illegally. I wish to use my state college's Study Abroad program to study in Spain from about my sophomore year in college through my senior year at least one semester per year. After that, I wish to get a (work permit? I'm not sure which permit I'm looking for) to work and live in Spain.
Since I'm only 17, I figure I can figure the process out now so I'll be prepared and I can apply early enough later on.
I've heard it takes months to get a work permit and you must have a solid job contract. So finally, my question is this: What are the chances of an employer telling a US citizen, yes I have a job, sure I'll wait 5 months. It seems to me such a situation would end up with the employer giving away the job to a ready Spanish citizen.
Any thoughts on how to get a job offer and work/live in spain legally? Would it be easiest to find a more-available job, work for a while and change jobs? Or would I need to get a new permit if I changed jobs once I'm over there? Thanks.

Assuming you are 18 years old and you moved on your own to Spain to look for a job, you don't have any outstanding skills or training, and assuming you don't have any contacts in Spain, the chances of you getting a contract to work legally in Spain are very slim. Most people your age in Spain do not work and if they do they have temporary jobs or "contratos basura". So in normal circumstances you will find it very difficult to get a job to work legally there. Sorry, I can't give you any ideas as to how to get legally employed in Spain. Hopefully other members of the board have more knowledge than me as to how to do this. Good luck!

BTW a lot of Americans are stationed with the Navy at Rota, Spain. This might not be your favorita route, but it is always an option.

jabch writes: I think the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) requires that Indigenous (i.e., Spanish) persons be hired to fill most on-base civilian jobs. One of the main exceptions is for elementary schoolteachers, teaching in Dependent Schools ... I also don't know how long Zapatero will continue to turn a 'blind eye' to the fact that there is such a large U.S. Military presence at Naval Station Rota.

When you are on a student visa (just ike in the U.S.) I believe you can work legally a maximum of 20-hours a week. That may be a way to make 'contacts' for the future when you are no longer on a Student visa.

Many American students do tutoring in English, although the Spanish seem to prefer tutors from the U.K. or Ireland.

I don't know if it still exists (It has been a while since my student days in Madrid) but Practivox loves to hire americans to give private English lessons. Here is the address. Practivox. c/ 93 Atocha Madrid, Spain 429-1400.

Gretchen6 writes: I did a 'Google' search on 'Practivox' and here's what I got:
ATOCHA, 93 - 1º
28012 MADRID
SPAIN
tel . 91 3690170 (prefix 011 34 if calling from the U.S.)

Anyhow, they probably use students who can work legally (as I mentioned in my earlier post) a limited number of hours weekly when on a student visa

If I were you for now I would focus on where and what to study in Spain. Getting a student visa is easy. There are lots of options. You could even enroll directly at a Spanish University which is a lot cheaper than paying the Study abroad fees. But it depends on where you want your degree to be from, the Us or Spain.

Im sure once you are here you can get more information about working.. as a student you may be able to get internships and work your way in that way. The work permits are usually for a specific field for the first year but after that for any field.

I thought foreign students were not allowed to work during their first year of study. So you can be on a student visa and start working part time as soon as you arrive in Spain?

I should probably clarify my question.

--A. Luckily, my state university pays all study abroad fees. I pay nothing ( )

--B. By that time, I will have skills/experience. I've been thinking over my career/major options and am deciding between a major in veterinary medicine (large animal) and history with a double major in Spanish (which I'm almost already to complete with so many high school college credits).

I'm going to go through my Study Abroad program and THEN I'm asking about probability of getting work, so by that time I'll be about 22 or 24 or something, with a degree and experience from working in the US (we have a mentorship program in high school to work in the field of your future career and I'll work in college).

So all I really need to know is that, if I have the credentials, what are the chances of the employer waiting around while I get the red tape taken care of?

I also posted this question a while back: With a major in large animal veterinary science/medicine, is there a demand for veterinarians at a plaza de toros or bullfighting farm? Does the plaza employ them, or does someone else?

Thanks for those have have replied already. Any further help would also be appreciated.

jabch, I think I wasnt clear, I meant once he is here after finishing studies hopefully he had made some contacts (or done a non paid internship) to help get his foot in the door...

el torero,

"So all I really need to know is that, if I have the credentials, what are the chances of the employer waiting around while I get the red tape taken care of?"

depends on how much they want you!

"I also posted this question a while back: With a major in large animal veterinary science/medicine, is there a demand for veterinarians at a plaza de toros or bullfighting farm? Does the plaza employ them, or does someone else?"

Thats why some kind of "practica" or internsip here would be advisable. or even training in spain so you can be informed on how the whole business works. I would assume that at these farms that raise bulls the business is pretty family oriented and as many things in Spain its more important WHO you know and if they trust you, then everything else.

Anyway, its great you are doing so much reasearch so early and asking questions. My advice is to keep searching...here at MadriMan we may not know these answers, you need to find people already doing what you want to do so they can point you in the right direction. Maybe you could do a summer visit to Spain and tour some farms and ask questions there, or at a University Vet program. Good luck!

Hola! I know exactly ur situation..I am 17 also and have studied Spanish for 7 years...I totally agree and I've been to Spain..what I am doing is I am applying to SLU-Madrid..it is st. louis university which is an international college with a campus in madrid..u can do 2-4 years there and in that time ill figure out stuff with work..the college sets up ur work if u need them 2

Muchas gracias, meencantaespana. Do you know if, even though youre enrolled in the university, you still need a work permit?

To work part-time legally, you need to apply for student residency once you land in Spain. Once you have your residency and get a job offer, you take the offer to the police station and they will give you a new student residency card that states that you can work 20 hours a week (this goes on the back of the card). You have to keep renewing this when you renew your residency. You also need to prove that you have passed a full course load each year.

A lot of english teaching academies imply that anyone with student residency is working legally. But without having the proper work exception on your residency card (and paying taxes, social security, etc.) you are not really working legally. Of course, this is what most people do, because it's a bit of a bureaucratic adventure to get the proper paperwork.

I believe that as long as u are going to the university u can work on campus and wont have any problems...however if u work off..i think that is a different story