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Highly Qualified Professional
What is the Highly Qualified Professional Permit?
The Highly Qualified Professional residence permit allows foreign professionals to live and work in Spain when they are hired for positions that require advanced qualifications or extensive professional experience.
This authorization is regulated under the Spanish Entrepreneurship Law and is designed to help companies attract international talent for specialized roles.
Applicants usually must have:
- A higher education degree related to the position, or
- At least five years of professional experience in the relevant field.
The permit can be requested whether the professional is outside Spain or already legally residing in the country.
Application Process
Applications for the Highly Qualified Professional permit are submitted through the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE) via the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.
If the professional is outside Spain, the process works in two stages:
- The company submits the residence permit application in Spain.
- Once approved, the professional applies for the visa at the Spanish consulate in their country of residence.
This procedure is generally faster than traditional work permits.
Company Eligibility Requirements
To hire a highly qualified professional under this regime, the employer must usually meet at least one of the following conditions:
- More than 250 employees in Spain
- Annual turnover exceeding €50 million in Spain
- Net worth above €43 million in Spain
- Foreign investment of at least €1 million annually during the previous three years
- Investment stock in Spain exceeding €3 million
These requirements confirm that the company has the capacity to hire specialized international talent.
Strategic Projects and Special Cases
The permit may also be granted when the professional is part of a business project considered of general interest for Spain.
This can include projects that:
Create significant employment
Maintain existing jobs
Generate economic impact in a specific region
Involve major investment projects
Contribute to scientific or technological innovation
In some cases, SMEs operating in strategic sectors may also qualify if they obtain a favorable report from the Directorate General for Trade and Investment.
