Spain lets international students work up to 30 hours a week in 2026

The new work rule for international students in Spain

Spain's reformed foreigner regulation, Real Decreto 1155/2024, took effect on 20 May 2025 and still applies through the 2026-27 academic year. Under the reform , international students on a study visa can work up to 30 hours a week without applying for a separate work permit first.

Before the reform, students needed a specific compatibility authorization to work alongside their studies. The new system builds work rights directly into your student residence permit, as long as the job does not stop you from meeting your academic commitments. That change removes an entire extra application from the process, since your student permit itself now carries permission to work.

Does this rule apply to you if you are an EU citizen

This 30-hour rule targets non-EU, third-country students who need a Spanish student visa and residence permit to study in the country. If you hold citizenship of an EU or EEA country, you already have the right to work in Spain without hour limits or a separate work permit, under the EU's freedom of movement rules. You register locally once you arrive, but you do not go through the student-visa process this reform changes.

Check which category applies to you before you assume the 30-hour cap is relevant to your situation. If you are a non-EU student on a study visa, the cap and the simplified process both apply to you directly. If you are an EU or EEA national, your work rights already exceed the 30-hour limit this reform sets for non-EU students.

Who qualifies

The 30-hour allowance applies to students enrolled in higher education: university degrees, master's programs and vocational training (Formacion Profesional). Students on short-term language courses fall outside this rule and keep the older, more limited work rights.

• University bachelor's and master's students get the full 30-hour allowance.

• Vocational training (FP) students qualify too, with some intensive FP programs handled as exceptions.

• Language school students are not covered by this specific rule.

Does the job need to match your degree

Spain does not require your part-time job to relate to your field of study. Employers hiring international students mainly need to keep the contract within the 30-hour cap and register you with Spanish social security like any other employee. The legal condition is that work stays compatible with the main purpose of your stay, meaning it cannot interfere with your attendance or your ability to finish your course.

What this means for you

If you study at a Spanish university or on a master's program in 2026, you no longer submit a separate application to start a part-time job. Register your employment contract, keep your hours within the legal cap, and keep your academic progress on track, since your visa renewal still depends on it.

Check with your university's international office before signing a contract. They confirm your enrollment status to the employer and to Spanish social security, and they can tell you if your specific program falls under the higher education category the 30-hour rule covers.

Keep your employer informed of your class schedule and exam periods from the start, since the 30-hour cap runs alongside your academic obligations rather than replacing them. Your residence permit stays tied to your study progress, so a job that pushes you off track academically puts your permit at risk even if you stay under the hour limit.