Immigration. Travel. Living.

Spain: about the living

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Immigration to Spain: the pros

Immigration to Spain has a huge number of advantages, and here are the main ones:

Climate and ecology

Undoubtedly, the Spanish climate is one of the main advantages of the country. Moreover, the weather in different Spanish regions is very different, which allows everyone to choose a climate to their liking. Also, Spain is a country with excellent ecology and clean air.

Magnificent beaches

There is no doubt that beaches are the main wealth of Spain. It has been the world leader in the number of Blue Flag beaches continuously since 1987. In 2020, 589 beaches of 98 sports ports were awarded the Blue Flag in Spain. Spain’s coastline is exceptionally diverse: here, you will find spacious sandy beaches and secluded rocky coves with crystal clear waters.

High rates of life expectancy

Spain is a country with one of the highest life expectancy rates – it is in the top 10. That said, older people in the country lead a remarkably active lifestyle and maintain excellent health into their very old years. A wonderful climate, excellent food, and a high level of development of the health care system make Spain one of the best countries to live in retirement.

 

Healthcare system

The excellent healthcare system is recognized as one of the best in the world. Public health care is free, but it is not available to everyone and has some disadvantages. However, private insurance is inexpensive and allows you to be served in clinics and hospitals that provide the highest quality services.

 

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The good and affordable education system

Public education is available to everyone, without exception, even the children of illegal immigrants, but it has some drawbacks, which we will discuss in the second part of the article. Also in Spain, there are many private and semi-public schools, where the level of education and discipline is higher than in public ones. At the same time, on the off chance that private schools are truly costlyat that point, semi-public schools are reasonable for nearly everybodyin spite of the fact that they are regularly troublesome to induce into.

 

The rich cultural, architectural and historical heritage 

Wherever you settle in Spain, wherever you go, you will always find something interesting. Even the smallest Spanish towns have preserved traces of the history and culture of previous eras.  Not to mention the big cities, they can be explored endlessly!

The stable economy and strong currency

Spain belongs to the euro area, and the risk of economic, social, and political upheaval here tends to zero, which allows you and your family to always be confident in the future.

A quick and simple procedure for obtaining a residence permit for the whole family with a certain level of income or savings 

At the same time, it is not even necessary to buy housing, it can be rented. The residence permit is given for 1 year, 2 years, and 2 more years, then it is changed to 5-year permanent residence. After 10 years of continuous legal residence in Spain, you can apply for citizenship. Children born in Spain and those who are married to a Spanish citizen can apply for citizenship after one year.

 

Immigration to Spain: cons

Of course, life in Spain also has several disadvantages. Below there are some of them:

The complexity of bureaucratic procedures, their length, and complexity  

If you need to complete any administrative procedure or get some kind of document, be prepared for the fact that it will take you a lot of time and, possibly, nerves. However, a lot depends on the specific city: in small municipalities, things are usually easier. Besides, there is always the opportunity to hire “knowledgeable” people who will solve your “paper” questions for a small fee.

It’s hard to find a job

Spain is not the best country to find employment, at least for now. However, there are exceptions: in the country, there is a large shortage of highly qualified workers in such areas as IT and some others. Specialists in the field of medicine and pharmacology, who will confirm their diploma in Spain will also not be left without work. However, in general, the situation with employment in Spain is not as good as we would like.

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Expensive electricity

Electricity there is very expensive, and there is nothing you can do about it. You have to either save or pay tidy sums for electricity bills every month.

The necessity of learning Spanish

You will have to learn Spanish to feel comfortable here – few people know English here. Of course, some have lived in Spain for many years and get by with a basic set of phrases. However, we recommend that you still learn the national language, especially since the choice of language schools and courses is large. Also, the Spaniards themselves will be happy to help you practice your speaking skills.

The need to understand the new tax system

Dealing with the taxation system for foreigners in Spain is not so difficult – we have already talked about the main types of taxes in this country. However, sometimes the assistance of a dedicated tax advisor may be required.

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