Residence for highly qualified professionals and entrepreneurs

The residence for highly qualified professionals and entrepreneur residence are different authorisations under Law 14/2013. The former concerns qualified professional activity, the latter a business project with specific characteristics. Both require more than a generic offer or incorporating a company.

Highly qualified professionals: assessment

Identify the job, company, contract and required qualification. Duties, work level, accepted degree or experience and remuneration are assessed. A job’s commercial title alone does not establish eligibility.

National authorisation and EU Blue Card have different rules. For the Blue Card, check the current salary threshold and specific education or experience conditions. UGE publishes updated references; old tables may cause miscalculation.

Employer and worker documents

• Contract or firm offer with clear duties, duration and salary.
• Job description and company and representative documents.
• Worker’s passport and personal documents.
• Qualifications, experience and professional permission where required.
• Criminal records, coverage and other applicable general documents.
• Fees and family documents for joint applications.

Before applying, check consistency between duties, salary and qualifications. Immigration permission does not replace recognition or licensing for a regulated profession.

Entrepreneur residence: which projects qualify

The entrepreneur route requires innovative activity of particular economic interest to Spain, assessed under law. It is not ordinary self-employed residence for any shop or service.

Explain product, market, financing, team, innovation and economic contribution. Founder experience and available resources matter. An inactive company or unsupported forecasts guarantee neither report nor authorisation.

Preparing an entrepreneur application

Organise a business plan with financing evidence, project development, genuine agreements and team experience. Check current assessment procedure and documents, including ENISA steps where applicable. Separate project documents from personal documents.

Application, family and continued residence

The Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit handles authorisations under this law; consulates handle visa applications. Applying in Spain requires meeting the specific route’s status and conditions.

Relatives may qualify in specified cases with relationship and resource documents. Review and notify job, employer or project changes where required. Prepare renewal early and keep compliance evidence.