Spain offers seasonal employment opportunities for non-EU workers, particularly in agriculture and other industries that need additional workers during busy periods. Jobs can involve harvesting, fruit and vegetable picking, crop maintenance, packing, greenhouse work, and other seasonal farm activities.
Under Spain’s current rules, seasonal residence and work authorization can allow an eligible foreign worker to work for up to nine months in a calendar year. Spain’s 2026 GECCO framework also continues its circular migration and collective recruitment system for workers from countries of origin.
What Is the Spain Seasonal Work Visa?
The Spain seasonal work visa is designed for foreign nationals recruited to perform temporary work linked to a particular season or period of demand.
Spain generally issues seasonal authorization for up to four years, while work is limited to a maximum of nine months each calendar year. Workers participating in circular migration must return to their country of origin after completing the authorized seasonal employment each year.
During the first year, workers need the appropriate residence and seasonal-work visa to enter Spain.
Agriculture Jobs in Spain for Foreign Workers
Agriculture is one of the main sectors using Spain’s circular migration programs. The Spanish Ministry reported that 25,767 workers from 17 countries participated in circular migration programs in 2025, mainly in the agricultural sector across 21 provinces. The government continued the GECCO framework for 2026.
Seasonal agricultural work may include:
- Fruit and vegetable harvesting
- Picking and sorting produce
- Packing agricultural products
- Greenhouse work
- Pruning and crop maintenance
- Vineyard work
- Irrigation assistance
- General seasonal farm duties
The exact vacancy, location, contract period, and qualifications depend on the employer.
Who Is Eligible for a Spain Seasonal Work Visa?
Under Spain’s current seasonal-work rules, applicants generally must:
- Be outside Spain when applying.
- Be a non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss national under this route.
- Have no disqualifying criminal record in Spain or countries where they lived during the previous five years
- Do not represent a public-order, security, or serious public-health risk.
- Meet any professional license or certification requirement for the position.
- Sign a commitment to return to their country of origin after seasonal employment ends.
The employer must also satisfy several requirements, including demonstrating the employment need, complying with tax and Social Security obligations and providing suitable accommodation.
Salary for Seasonal Agriculture Jobs in Spain
Spain’s statutory minimum wage for 2026 is €40.70 per day or €1,221 per month for full-time work, and this minimum explicitly applies across agriculture, industry and services. The annual full-time minimum is at least €17,094.
For temporary workers employed by the same company for no more than 120 days, Spain’s 2026 minimum-wage decree sets a minimum professional rate of €57.82 per legal workday, including specified proportional payments such as Sundays, public holidays, and extra salary payments.
Actual farm wages may be higher because collective agreements, occupation, province, working hours, and contract conditions can affect pay.
What Does the Employer Provide?
Seasonal recruitment is not simply about finding an online vacancy. Spanish employers have responsibilities under the program.
For agricultural seasonal authorizations, employers must guarantee sufficient work during the authorized period. Official guidance states that agricultural activity is considered continuous when it represents at least 85% of the sector’s normal working time.
Employers must also provide suitable accommodation and, under the relevant rules, assume the cost of the worker’s journey to Spain from the country of recruitment and transportation between the arrival point and accommodation.
Documents Needed for a Spain Seasonal Work Visa
Documents can vary by consulate and individual case, but the seasonal recruitment procedure can require:
- Valid passport
- National visa application form
- Recent passport photograph
- Approved seasonal residence and work authorization
- Signed employment contract
- Return commitment
- Criminal-record certificate
- Medical certificate
- Proof of required fee payments
Foreign public documents may also need legalization or an apostille and an official Spanish translation where applicable.
How to Apply for a Spain Seasonal Work Visa in 2026
1. Find a Genuine Seasonal Employer
The process generally begins with an employer in Spain seeking workers for an eligible seasonal position.
Unlike a tourist visa, the standard seasonal employment process is employer-led. The employer or an authorized representative submits the seasonal residence and work authorization application.
2. Employer Requests Work Authorization
The employer submits the application to the relevant immigration or labor authority in the province where the work will take place.
Official guidance generally requires submitting this request at least two months before the expected employment start date, unless justified circumstances apply.
3. Receive Approval
If the seasonal work authorization is approved, you can begin the visa process.
4. Apply for the Seasonal Work Visa
Submit the visa application through the appropriate Spanish consulate. Spain’s consular guidance confirms that employee visas include seasonal work visas.
5. Travel to Spain
Travel only after you receive the required visa and confirm the contract and arrival instructions.
6. Social Security Registration
Under the seasonal procedure, the worker must be registered with the appropriate Spanish Social Security system shortly after entering Spain. Official guidance states this must occur within a maximum of three days after entry under the relevant process.
Spain’s GECCO 2026 Program
Spain approved its GECCO 2026 order at the end of 2025 to regulate collective recruitment abroad and circular migration during 2026.
The system allows groups of foreign workers who are outside Spain to be recruited through collective procedures. Multi-year seasonal authorizations can last four years and allow work for up to nine months in each calendar year.
The program is particularly relevant to agricultural employers who need workers during harvest and other high-demand periods.
How to Avoid Seasonal Job Scams
Be careful with social-media advertisements promising:
- Guaranteed Spain visas
- Guaranteed farm jobs
- Guaranteed seasonal permits
- Paid immigration appointments
- Work visas without an employer
- Immediate visa approval
Spain’s regulations state that authorities or intermediaries cannot require workers selected through collective recruitment to pay to participate in the selection process.
Always verify the employer, employment contract, workplace, salary, and immigration process before paying anyone.
Final Thoughts
The Spain seasonal work visa 2026 provides a legal route for eligible foreign workers to take temporary employment, with agriculture remaining an important part of Spain’s circular migration system.
The process normally begins with a genuine Spanish employer. The employer obtains the required seasonal work authorization, and the worker then completes the visa process before traveling to Spain.
Workers should carefully check their salary, accommodation, contract duration, and return requirements. For 2026, Spain’s statutory minimum wage is €1,221 per month or €40.70 per day, although actual agricultural wages can vary under applicable collective agreements.
