A Guide for Filipino Migrants Relocating to Spain

Moving to a new country in search of work and better opportunities? Relocating can be both exciting and scary, but being prepared for what to expect is a good way to get yourself grounded somewhere new. Rewire’s relocation guides are meant to help you with the essential information you’ll need to get started in a new country.

Spain: Quick Facts for Migrants from The Philippines

    • Population: 47 million
    • Capital: Madrid
    • Main language: Spanish
  • Emergency phone numbers: 112

Finding Housing in Spain

In Spain, it’s common to look for an apartment either through an agent, in ads listed online, through a newspaper, in Facebook groups, or through word of mouth. As a migrant, the best way to go about this is to ask other migrants or ex-pats in your community if they’ve heard of an apartment for rent that meets your specifications. You can also look online for ideas of neighborhoods, prices, and eventually, to go see places. Here are some websites you can use to find apartments online in Spain:

 

When visiting apartments to rent in Spain, make sure you bring with you a passport or form of ID, proof of employment, references, and your tax ID number if you’re already working. Aside from the paperwork, you should also go over your budget before deciding to jump on the first apartment you like. You should first consider how much of your monthly income you want to spend on rent before making lists of apartments to see. You can have a look at our budgeting for migrants series to find out more about creating a budget and sticking to it.

Finding Work in Spain

Compared to other countries in the EU, Spain’s unemployment rate is one of the highest at 14.5%, meaning there’s more competition finding work. Still, it’s possible to get a job as a migrant, though we recommend sticking to the more populated cities like Madrid and Barcelona in order to increase your chances. Like looking for an apartment, you can go through your expat network to find job opportunities or browse for them online. These are a few websites we recommend using:

 

Using Public Transportation in Spain

It can be a challenge learning how to get around a new country, especially when you just arrive and need to run around to view apartments and to job interviews. In Spain, the public transit system is quite expansive, so you’ll have no trouble getting around and in between cities without a car. Spain’s national rail company, Renfe, has trains going all over the country, and there are also many other urban and regional ones. Each area of Spain has its own bus company, and there are lines within each urban center connecting individual ones as well as coach buses to make long journeys more comfortable.

How to Send Money to The Philippines From Spain

You might not get a bank account right away or it can be complicated to transfer between international banks. Many migrants aren’t aware of other options, but in fact, it’s possible to send money home online without any fuss. Rewire helps Filipinos and other migrants with an array of tools to help manage money abroad. There’s an international money transfer service that’s budget-friendly, quick, and secure to use. Rewire also helps migrants with a debit card to use in Europe, as well as local European IBAN accounts and an app to track all your finances. 

Looking for more ways to help you manage your money when living abroad? We’ve compiled a few tips on managing your money in Spain for migrants.

Final Word

Once settled, a lot of migrants find Spain a good place to work from in order to save up and send money home. While the start can be tricky, with some research and advance planning, you’ll have an easier time making the switch to a new country.