Would my partner find work as self employed handy man in spain?

Question

He is self employed handyman here in glasgow but we would like to know if we went out to spain if he could earn a reasonable living, wage out in spain doing the same work. we do not speak spanish.

Answer 1

Everyone has the same idea as you, many people come to Spain thinking they can find work easily, but unless you have a trade or can speak Spanish you will find it very hard. Think about it, and everything else that goes with moving to another country, very carefully. We have lived in Spain 2 years on the Costa Blanca near Alicante and are still getting to grips with  things, you must be prepared and do your research before you come, and sort out some where to stay, it's best to rent until you can look round the areas you want to live in. Good Luck

Answer 2

don,t do it. Seen so many try the same in the last 4 years.  Most Brits i have known hate the place after a while. We leave this summer. Can´t come quick enough. The grass is not as green this side. Especially if you forget to water it.

Answer 3

how , everyone is a handyman there now

Answer 4

Unfortunatly not.

There are sooo many people TRYING to do this now in spain, there is soo much competition.

even if he can get work, he wont be paid much for it,

sorry to disapoint you

Answer 5

Very little chance I'm afraid. Lots of South Americans here, plus a variety of East Europeans who work for next to nothing. Spain is in recession although nobody admits it. Corruption and crime are the most profitable. Huge investments in property building, but no one to live in them. Lots of new cars on credit, but don't forget that the donkey was only phased out only 25 years ago ! Lots of Brits have returned to UK or gone to France. Maybe some jobs in Gibrtaltar. Good luck. Ed.

Answer 6

yes, but he would need to be able to speak Spanish - why not take a 1 week course in Spanish, total immersion. The one at the first link below is around €200 euros (£130) for a week including accomodation...

At the end of the week all he would have to do is practice and he'll be fine...

Of course, it'll help if he has a good van too, then he can be a van and driver as well ...

hope that helps, links below

Philip

Answer 7

Not a hope in h**l! Sorry but I'm telling you how it is, every Joe seems to think they can come here and earn a decent living, for starters, pay and rates someone could charge, are way lower than the UK, while some things are cheaper here, many prices are catching up, so one really needs to be earning the same as they would in the UK.

The english language newspapers, english shop windows, are all full of Joe's trying to earn a crust doing odd jobs, its does not work. If you want to come here and still do it, you have to register a company, as soon as you do that, your partner is liable to pay social security at about 260€ a month, whether he's earning or not, that HAS to be paid, while that gives him access to the health service, as you are not amrried, it doesnt give you any cover, so you'd either have to work full time with a contract, and there's not many jobs like that around, especially if you don't speak any spanish, or you take out private cover, or pay the 260€

Almost 50% go back within 2 years at the moment, but this place is heading for a recesison, so that number will be increased as costs go up and money gets tighter

Answer 8

Sorry, like everyone else has written, you along with thousands of others dream of moving here and working, it's a sad fact that you will NOT get work, not legally anyway and you will never earn a decent wage.

I've been here more years than I care to remember and things have gotten really bad now, so many immigrants working for peanuts, and the Englishman abroad driving up the prices trying to get the same money they earned in the UK.

Stay where you are or think of somewhere else to go, Spain is not the place to be for someone wanting to work, especially in the handyman game. Apart from that if you are self employed you will have to pay approx. 250€ A MONTH for your equivalent to stamp whether you earn or not you will have to pay. That's a huge difference to what you pay in the UK don't you think?

Again even if you speak Spanish you'd be lucky to be employed, because the Russians, Moroccans, Ukranians etc are all willing to work for nothing here, so if you were an employer who would you choose? Doesn't matter if your husband is brilliant at his job, the constructors would sooner pay a Russian peanuts and have a bodge job where they can paint over it and then sell to innocent purchasers that never saw the house being built.

Really sorry that we are all the bearers of bad news, but it's like it is.

Answer 9

I honestly don't know but I wish you the best of luck and hope the Spaniards give the Brits the same kind treatment other EU members are getting (by the population and the press) when they move into Britain!