Seasonal fruit picking jobs in Spain: strawberries, stone fruit and citrus harvests

This page in other languages : Español · Français

What is harvested in Spain, and where?

Spain is the European Union’s largest fruit producer. Its harvest campaigns follow one another almost all year round, so workers can chain several contracts by moving between regions. Farms hire pickers, packhouse sorters and machinery drivers for each campaign.

Huelva province leads for strawberries and berries, the Ebro valley (Lleida, Huesca, Zaragoza) for peaches, nectarines, pears and apples, Murcia and the Valencia region for citrus, and Jaén or Córdoba for olives. Each area has its own provincial farm labour agreement.

Main harvest calendar

Huelva strawberries and berries are picked mostly from February to June. Stone fruit in Lleida and Aragon follows from May to September, apples and pears in August and September, then Valencian citrus from October to April.

The olive harvest in Andalusia runs from November to February. Around Segovia, in the El Carracillo area, strawberry plant nurseries also employ hundreds of seasonal workers. A mobile worker can therefore stay active for close to ten months a year.

A day in the fields

Work starts early, often around seven in the morning, to avoid the heat. Strawberry picking is done bent over under plastic tunnels, while stone fruit is picked from ladders. Output, gentle handling and size standards are checked constantly by team leaders.

Packhouse work

Packing stations, known as almacenes or centrales hortofrutícolas, sort, grade and pack the fruit. These indoor jobs are more regular and suit people who struggle with physical field work, but they involve shift patterns and fast line speeds during peak deliveries.

Who can work as a fruit picker in Spain?

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens work freely. For stays over three months, they apply for the EU citizen registration certificate, which includes the NIE, at an Oficina de Extranjeros or police station. A Social Security number is also required before starting work.

Non-EU nationals: the seasonal permit

Third-country nationals living outside Spain can obtain a temporary residence and work authorisation for seasonal activities. Valid for four years with a single employer, it allows up to nine months of work per calendar year under a fixed-discontinuous contract.

Collective recruitment abroad: GECCO 2026

Collective management of hiring in countries of origin (GECCO) is regulated for 2026 by Orden ISM/1547/2025, published in the BOE on 30 December 2025. Farm organisations recruit directly in partner countries such as Morocco, Colombia, Ecuador, Mauritania, Ukraine, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala.

Employer duties and return home

The employer pays at least the inbound trip, provides decent accommodation throughout the campaign and registers the worker with Social Security. At the end of the season, the worker must report to the consulate within one month to prove return.

Pay, hours and housing for pickers

Spain’s 2026 minimum wage (SMI), set by Real Decreto 126/2026, is 1,221 euros per month paid in fourteen instalments. For temporary and seasonal workers employed under 120 days by the same company, the floor is 57.82 euros per day worked.

Provincial farm collective agreements, such as those of Huelva or Lleida, set daily wages equal to or above the SMI. Piece-rate pay per crate is allowed only if it guarantees at least the legal minimum for the hours worked.

Contract types and working time

Since the 2021 labour reform, most seasonal farm workers sign a fixed-discontinuous contract, which recalls them every campaign, or a temporary contract for production circumstances. The maximum remains 40 hours per week on average, with overtime paid on top.

Accommodation during the campaign

Under GECCO, housing is compulsory and rent cannot exceed 15 percent of the IPREM index, or 22 percent including utilities. Other seasonal workers often have to find their own room: in strawberry areas, accommodation becomes scarce from February.

Seven steps to secure a picking job

The steps below apply to EU citizens and to candidates recruited in their home country, although the latter face longer formalities and go through the Spanish consulate in their country of residence.

1. Choose a campaign and region from the calendar: strawberries in Huelva, fruit in Lleida, citrus in Valencia.
2. Register with the regional public employment service and browse farm vacancies on the Empléate portal.
3. Contact cooperatives, farm organisations and licensed temporary work agencies in the area.
4. Insist on a written contract stating the daily wage, the applicable agreement, housing and hours.
5. Non-EU: check the offer falls under GECCO or a seasonal authorisation, then apply for the visa at the consulate.
6. On arrival, obtain your NIE and Social Security number, or check that the employer handles them.
7. Keep your payslips and a record of days worked to enforce your rights later.

Key figures and documents

This table brings together the 2026 legal amounts and main documents needed for a picking season, so that you can compare offers and plan a starting budget before your first wage payment arrives.

Common mistakes and scams

Labour inspectors and farm unions report the same abuses every year. These traps affect EU citizens and workers recruited abroad alike, especially at the start of the strawberry and stone fruit campaigns.

• Paying a recruiter for a place: recruitment in the country of origin is free for workers.
• Accepting piece rates that fall below the minimum daily wage.
• Working without Social Security registration and therefore without accident cover.
• Arriving in strawberry areas at peak season without booked accommodation.
• Overstaying the seasonal authorisation, which blocks access to future campaigns.

How much does a fruit picker earn in Spain in 2026?

At least 57.82 euros per day on a contract under 120 days, or 1,221 euros per month for steady employment. Provincial agreements and productivity bonuses can raise earnings further depending on the crop, the farm and the hours actually worked.

Do I need to speak Spanish?

It is not mandatory for picking, but basic Spanish helps with safety, instructions and paperwork. Teams often include Arabic, Romanian or French speakers, yet supervisors mostly give instructions in Spanish, so a few key words make a real difference.

Can I chain several harvests?

Yes. An EU citizen can move from Huelva strawberries to Lleida stone fruit, then to citrus. For non-EU workers, GECCO allows linked projects between employers, provided total work does not exceed nine months per calendar year.

Do employers provide housing?

It is compulsory for workers hired through GECCO or a seasonal authorisation. For others, it is common but not guaranteed: before leaving, ask about the type of housing, the number of occupants and any amount deducted from wages.