Spain Student Visa: Can You Work While Studying?

Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi

Question

I am on a master’s program and with a Spain student visa here in Barcelona. I applied for my TIE today, and when I got home, I realized the receipt said no work authorization. I called my lawyer, and they weren’t sure as well on what happened and need to look into it.

Anyone had a similar experience and can share how you were able to fix it? With the master’s program, I should be able to do internships for 30 hours a week. Thanks, everyone!

Answers

These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:

“They unfortunately do this to avoid giving work permits to people who come to Spain with the pretext of doing a master’s but then use the excuse of studying to work.”

“Yes, I was the same. It just means that you need to get your employer (or future employer) to apply for a work permit and social security number for you. You are also limited to working no more than 30 hours a week. It’s a hassle, but there is no way around it. Surprised your lawyer didn’t know about this because it’s quite common.”

“It’s the worst thing in Spain, it happens nowhere else. I am graduated with no ‘autoriza de trabajar,’ and during my studies, I couldn’t work because of that. When I asked for a contract, they said I was not authorized to work and they needed an urgent worker. We can’t wait 3 months for your authorization, that’s why now I am leaving Spain.”

“Same here. I just can’t take much more of the endless paperwork and bureaucracy. I am drained of energy at the moment.”

“I couldn’t do an internship when I studied. I ended up having to do a project. I also tried to work 20 hours a week when I studied but no dice because it was going to take longer to get the visa than the job lasted.”

“It’s strange, as I know some of my friends got student visas with authorization to work.”

(Professional answer) “Happens all the time even though it shouldn’t. You’ll have to apply for work permission with the help of the employer once you have work lined up.”

Conclusion

Based on the experiences shared, obtaining work authorization on a Spain student visa can be a challenging and inconsistent process. Even if your program should allow for internships or part-time work (up to 30 hours a week), the actual TIE issued may not automatically include this.

The common solution appears to involve securing an employer who can help you apply for a work permit and social security number. However, this process is not without hurdles, and delays in authorization can affect job opportunities.

It’s advisable to clarify these conditions before your TIE appointment, and if issues arise, seek support from an experienced immigration lawyer to navigate the complexities.

Bruno Bianchi CEO & Spain Immigration Expert

Bruno Bianchi is the founder and CEO of Spainguru, Spain's largest expat immigration community with 150,000+ members. Since 2014 he has helped thousands of people relocate to Spain through expert guides, webinars and vetted professional services covering visas, residency, taxes and life in Spain.

See Full Bio

Spain Non-Lucrative Visa Spain Digital Nomad Visa Spanish Residency Taxes in Spain for Expats Moving to Spain