Work residence permit
The work residence card (cuenta ajena in Spanish) is a common temporary residence (residencia temporal) that allows you to work in Spain and enjoy social security and other benefits. The word cuenta ajena will be found on the residence card.
Social security requirements for work residence
By default, the initial work residence is valid for 1 year. In certain cases, the initial work residence is valid for 2 years if you have already had 1 year of legal residence in Spain at the time of application.
After the expiry of the initial work residence, it is possible to apply for a 4-year residence card.
Related article: Spanish 4-year Work residence permit explained
After 5 years of continuous residence in Spain, you can apply for a permanent residence (also known as long-term residence).
Unlike other residences, the renewal of requires the applicant to have worked for a certain period of time and to have been covered by social security.
Minimum period of social security
Old policy:
-One year of work residence requires a minimum of 6 months of social security.
-A minimum of 12 months of social security is required for a two-year residence. All rights reserved . Reproduction by individuals or organizations is prohibited.
New policy:
A new policy was implemented in August 2022, which reduces the social security requirements. Applicants only need to prove have worked at least form 3 months per year to be eligible for an extension.
-One-year work residence permit requires at least 3 months of social security.
-Two-year work residence permit, a minimum of 6 months of social security is required.
Note: As a general rule, you must be working when you apply for the extension.
-If the applicant is receiving unemployment benefits at the time of the extension, there is no social security contribution requirement.
Is it possible to extendmy residence without social security?
All the cases mentioned above require that the applicant is registered with social security contribution at the time of the extension.We will explain the special cases in which this requirement can be waived:
-If the applicant has had social security coverage for 9 months per year and proves that the last job was terminated against his or her will and that he or she is actively looking for a job, there is no requirement to have Social Security coverage at the time of application for extension.
-Women who are victims of domestic violence.
No Social Security contribution is required to apply for permanent residence
The law requires that you have lived in Spain for a continuous period of 5 years. The person concerned does not need to provide proof of financial means, does not need to have a work contract, and does not have Social Security requirements.
Related article: Guide to Spanish permanent residence aplication
