Freelancing in Spain – Expat’s Guidance
Thinking of starting (or continuing) your freelance career in Spain as a foreigner?
We’d like to share the main benefits of being self-employed in Spain, the taxes you’re liable for, what the self-employed quota is, and lots of other information to consider before jumping into this adventure.
Read on to find out how you can become self-employed in Spain as a foreigner.
The Benefits of a Self-Employed Foreigner in Spain
Of course, there are pros and cons to freelancing, as with just about anything in real life. But being a self-employed foreigner in Spain comes with numerous quality of life benefits.
From the moment you begin to pay into social security in Spain, you'll be able to benefit from the following:
Access to National Healthcare System
Insurance coverage in case of injury at work
Unemployment benefits for up to 24 months if you stop working due to a revenue drop of at least 10%, losses, insolvency, or other various reasons
Pension
Parental leave, sick leave, or leave due to a work accident
Sick leave for common illnesses, even if they aren’t work-related
If your income stream temporarily drops to zero, you can freeze your self-employed status and pay zero social security charges
The invoicing and accounting process is not complicated, and you can do it yourself or hire an accountant to prepare the paperwork for you. The costs of these services vary depending on your turnover or number of invoices issued on a monthly basis, but you can expect to pay between €50 and €100 per month on average.
Self-Employed Quota in Spain
When you become a freelancer in Spain, you’ll be put into the “Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers” (RETA) and will be required to pay a self-employed quota.
Put simply, it’s a monthly contribution that self-employed workers have to pay into the social security system. As you pay, you’ll be able to receive the benefits mentioned above.
How Much Is the Self-employed Quota?
The self-employed quota is not based on how much money you make. It’s partly based on age, and if you’re under 47, you can choose whether you’d like to pay the minimum or maximum amount:
Minimum quota for self-employed workers in Spain (47 or under): €286.15 per month
Maximum quota for self-employed workers in Spain (47 or over): €1,221.03 per month