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| Moving To Spain |
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Spain is one of the more popular destinations for foreign nationals looking to move overseas and become Expats living in Spain . An estimated 4.8 million foreign residents as at the end of 2005 were Expats in Spain . The country is very popular with Moroccan and Ecuadorian nationals, although the British (8.09%), French (8.03%) and Germans (5.58%) also make up a substantial part of the overall 4.8m total. The country has particularly strong cultural ties with south America, hence the high number of south American nationals choosing Spain for their new home. Spanish CultureSpain is a fairly diverse country with a number of sub cultures entrenched in their history, including Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia. While this has resulted in various infighting and terrorist activity in the past, this area has been fairly quiet of late with ongoing discussions and political activity to resolve the situation.Employment in SpainSpain is very much a holiday industry based culture, with seasonal work available in all of the coastal resorts (much in line with the UK holiday industry). If you are looking to work long term in Spain it is essential that you have a contract of work with your employer. While employers are allowed to offer short term contracts of up to 9 months, you are entitled to a longer term (full time) contract after the initial short term contract is up. Do not forget the famous Spanish siesta - the much welcome 2-3 hour period of rest in the afternoon, when all shops are closed, opening later in the cooler evening.Even though wages are generally lower in Spain compared to e.g. the UK, the cost of living is also less. It is therefore essential to compare wages / cost of living in Spain against your country of origin. While all taxes, etc will be deducted from your wages at source, any overseas national found working illegally in the country will be sent “home” and the employer fined. Be very wary of cash payment employment! If you are dismissed from a long term contract you have the right of appeal, under what is a fairly rigid and structured procedure - offering a degree of protection to overseas residents. There is also very little problem being accepted into the Spanish employment culture, with overseas workers more common place than the majority of European countries. To work in Spain you must have an NIE Number - this is vital! Property in SpainThe property market in Spain is very fluid, especially on the coastal conurbations which are proving ever more popular with holiday makers. While there are a variety of hot spots on the coast, inner city prices are less inflated, although as more foreign nationals look to make Spain there long term home, we are seeing an increase in prices for the more central areas of the country. Customer comments and reviews of the apartments in Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote can be found on the Puerto del Carmen Apartments site. State Benefits in SpainThankfully for those looking to settle in Spain, the benefits system is much like the UK in that once you start to contribute taxes to the system you begin the path to full entitlement. If for example you were to lose your fulltime job after 6 months or more, you would be entitled to the full range of benefits, including health, social security, etc. For those looking to move permanently to a new country, it may be possible to arrange for part of your national insurance payments to be transferred to an overseas state benefit agency.ConclusionFor many, Spain has become the country of choice when considering moving abroad. A mix of the weather, employment opportunities and a lower cost of living all add to the attractions. The benefits system also seems to be very fair, with similar protections enforced for non-nationals as foreign residents.More facts about Spain :- Capital : Madrid Official Language : Spanish Government : Monarchy (with an appointed President) Size : 506,030 km2 Population : 44.7 million Currency : Euro International Dialling Code : +34 Economy : 8th largest in the world (5th largest in Europe) Religion : Predominately Roman Catholic |
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