Employee visa

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Visa for people aged 16 and over who wish to work as employees in Spain (with a work contract). This visa covers seasonal work activities. ​

Required documents​ ​

1. National visa application ​form. Each applicant must complete and sign a visa application, filling in each of its sections. If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents must sign the application. 
2. Photograph. A recent, passport-size, colour photograph, taken against a light background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the oval of the face. It must conform to ICAO standards, stamped with date and place where the photo was taken.
3. Valid, unexpired passport. Original and a photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must have a minimum validity period of 4 months (in the case of a temporary contract, the validity period must cover the duration of the contract) and contain two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.  
4. Initial residence and employee work permit. Original and a copy of the initial residence and employee work permit signed by the employer. 
5. Work contract. A copy of the work contract stamped by the Foreign Nationals' Office.  
6. Criminal record check certificate no more than five months before the application date (Legalized with the Hague Apostille Certification and translated into Spanish). Applicants of legal age who apply for a visa for a stay of more than 180 days must submit the original and a copy of the criminal record check certificate(s) issued by their country or countries of residence for the past 5 years. It must be a negative criminal record issued by the RCMP containing fingerprints and photo of visa applicant. If in the last five years, you have resided in another country, a criminal record from the authorities of that country. ​​​
7. Medical certificate.  (Legalized with the Hague Apostille Certification and translated into Spanish).Applicants requiring a visa for a stay of more than 180 days must submit the original and a copy of a medical certificate accrediting that they do not suffer from any disease that could cause serious repercussions for public health pursuant to the 2005 International Health Regulations. The medical certificate must say: "This medical certificate confirms that Mr./ Ms. […...] does not suffer from any of the diseases that can have serious implications for public health in accordance with the provisions of the 2005 International Health Regulations”.​
8. Proof of residence in the consular district. 
9. Proof of the representative's identity and capacity. If the applicant is a minor, it will be necessary to present originals and submit copies of the identity document or passport of one of their parents, as well as of the document constituting proof of kinship. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish. 
10. Payment of the visa fee. CHECK THE VISA FEE HERE. For nationals of Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, the United States of America and the United Kingdom different rates are applied for reasons of reciprocity. In these cases, the amount of the fee must be consulted with the Consular Office. 

When necessary to assess the application, the Consular Office may request additional documents or data and may also ask the applicant to come in for a personal interview.

​Procedure​ 

This Consular Office is competent to accept visa applications from individuals residing in the consular district. 

• Who can apply for a visa: Visa applications must be submitted in person by the applicant or by an authorized representative just in cases of long distances or proven difficulties in traveling. Appointment must be requested in advance by sending an email to cog.toronto.vis@maec.es. ​

• Visa application period: The visa application must be submitted within a period of 1 month, counted as of the day after the date on which the employer is notified of the favourable decision regarding the initial residence and employment permit. 

• ​Rectifying the application: The Consular Office may ask the applicant to submit any missing documents, or to provide additional documents or data that are necessary for a decision regarding the application. The applicant may also be called in for a personal interview. 

• Decision period: The legal period for reaching a decision is of 1 month from the day after the application submission date, but this period may be extended if an interview or additional documents are requested. 

• Collecting the visa: The visa must be collected in person by the applicant within a maximum period of 1 month, counted as of the day after the date on which the favourable decision is notified. The Consular Office will inform the applicant regarding the procedure for collecting the passport and any other original documentation.    

• Visa refusal: Visa refusals will always be notified in writing, setting forth the grounds on which the decision adopted was based. 

• Appeals: If a visa is refused, the applicant may submit an appeal for reconsideration to this Consular Office within 1 month of the day following the date on which notification of the refusal is received. An application for judicial review may also be filed with the High Court of Justice of Madrid within the 2-month period beginning the day after the date on which the applicant receives notification of the visa refusal or of the dismissal of the reconsideration appeal. 

• Validity period of the visa: If the contract is for one year, the visa will be valid for 90 days. Once in Spain, the worker must register with the Social Security system before beginning their work activity and apply for a Foreigner Identity Card at the Foreign Nationals' Office or the corresponding police station, within 1 month from their registration with the Social Security system.
  If the work contract is for seasonal work, the visa will be valid for the entire period for which the applicant is authorized to reside and work in Spain, and it will not be necessary to apply for a Foreigner Identity Card upon arriving in Spain.

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