Working abroad in Spain is worth considering if you want to broaden your horizons and want new challenges. Spain is a member of the European Union, so EU citizens will be able to move to Spain and work abroad in Spain without visas or permits, just a valid passport is needed. Non-EU nationals will require a visa and work permit – contact your Spanish Consulate for details.

Spain is a wonderful country with so much to offer workers and the self-employed.

Here are just a few benefits that Spain can offer workers and their families:

• A great lifestyle – The climate in Spain means that you can enjoy an outdoor lifestyle of barbecuing, sunbathing and outdoors sports all year round.
• Easy Access – Many budget airlines fly to Spain and Spain is under 3 hours away from most European countries by air.
• Communications – The Internet, high speed Broadband and good telecommunications mean that people can work at home in Spain via the Internet and perhaps even keep their job in their home country.
• Fantastic healthcare system – The seventh best healthcare system in the world. Employees and the self-employed can benefit from free healthcare by contributing to the social security system.
• Good education system – Spanish state schools offer a good education but there are also many private schools, international schools and foreign schools.
• A wonderful climate – The Costa Blanca has one of the best climates in the world and the Costa Calida has the cleanest air in Europe. The Costas and Southern Spain offer year round sun and mild, dry winters.

As you can see, Spain offers many benefits, but don't just move to Spain on a whim. Plan your move carefully and find a job before you move. Don't assume that it will be easy to find work, Spain has unemployment problems too.

Here are some tips to work abroad in Spain successfully:

1. Learn the language – Make an effort to learn some Spanish. Having some knowledge of Spanish will really help you to find work and will give you more opportunities and choices.
2. Make sure that you have all of your qualifications, certificates etc. to hand and that they are recognised in Spain. Consult the Spanish Consulate for advice as you may be able to get them certified.
3. CV – Get your CV up to scratch and make sure you mention your competency in Spanish and whether you have computer skills and knowledge.
4. Register with Job Centres and agencies – The INEM, the National Employment Institute, has offices dotted around Spain - www.inem.es . There are also many specialist agencies.
5. Search online – There are many online job search websites including  empleo.com, eurojobs.com, monster.es, trabajo.es etc.
6. Use the classifieds – Look in the job sections of newspapers and on their websites. El Pais has a large job section. Also look in expat publications. Specialist job seeker publications like El Mercado de Trabajo may also be useful.

The above tips should help you in your job search but don't forget to research moving to Spain as well. Relocating to a different country takes a lot of planning so research all of the processes involved – the legalities, the house buying process, health cover etc. Take advice from professionals  and from expats who have already made the move. Be patient and take your time.