Seasonal jobs in Spain: farm campaigns, tourism and the minimum wage

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What seasonal jobs are available in Spain?

Spanish temporada work runs on two engines: farm campaigns, which follow one another almost all year from south to north, and tourism, still the leading summer employer on the coasts and in the Balearics, and in winter in the Canary Islands.

Farm jobs involve picking, sorting and packing. Tourism hires waiters, cooks, housekeepers, receptionists, entertainers and lifeguards. Spanish is almost always required, while English or German are valuable assets in hotels serving international guests.

The main farm campaigns

Huelva province in Andalusia produces most of Europe’s strawberries and berries. The Valencia region and Murcia dominate citrus, Lleida and Aragon stone fruit, and Jaén olives, the world’s leading source of olive oil.

The grape harvest employs pickers in La Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia and Jerez. Almería runs greenhouse crops nearly all year, while Navarre and Extremadura recruit for tomatoes, asparagus and fruit.

• Berries: Huelva, January to June.
• Citrus: Valencia, Castellón, Murcia, November to April.
• Stone fruit: Lleida, Aragon, Murcia, May to September.
• Olives: Jaén, Córdoba, November to February.

Spain’s seasonal calendar

The climate allows campaigns to follow each other from south to north. Many seasonal workers move with this calendar, from Andalusia in spring to Catalonia and La Rioja in autumn, then back south for citrus and olives.

Winter and mountain tourism

The Canary Islands have their high season from November to April, with steady hotel demand. Ski resorts in the Sierra Nevada and the Aragonese and Catalan Pyrenees hire from December to April for lifts, ski schools and restaurants.

Who can work a season in Spain?

As across the EU, nationality determines the paperwork. Europeans work freely, while third-country nationals use a seasonal residence and work authorisation or collective recruitment organised in their home country.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens

They need no permit. They must obtain an NIE, the foreigner identification number, and a social security affiliation number. For stays longer than three months, registration in the central register of foreign nationals is mandatory.

Seasonal residence and work authorisation

Non-EU nationals can obtain a seasonal residence and work authorisation valid for four years, allowing work for up to nine months per calendar year. The contract is a written fijo-discontinuo, and the employer pays travel and provides adequate housing.

The GECCO scheme, governed in 2026 by order ISM/1547/2025, organises collective selection in origin countries, notably for Huelva berries. Workers sign a return commitment and must report to the Spanish consulate within a month of returning home.

Young people and students

Young people from countries with a youth mobility agreement with Spain may work temporarily under each agreement’s conditions. Foreign students holding a study residence permit may work part-time within hour limits set by the regulations.

Pay and working conditions

Minimum conditions stem from the Workers’ Statute, the national minimum wage and provincial collective agreements, particularly for agriculture and hospitality, which often set daily or hourly rates above the legal minimum.

The 2026 minimum wage

Royal Decree 126/2026, published in the official gazette on 19 February 2026 with retroactive effect from 1 January, sets the national minimum wage at 1,221 euros gross per month paid fourteen times, an increase of 3.1 percent.

The fijo-discontinuo contract

Since the 2022 labour reform, recurring seasonal jobs mostly use the fijo-discontinuo contract: the worker is called back each season and keeps seniority. Fixed-term contracts remain possible for one-off, justified peaks in activity.

Housing and hours

In campaigns with workers recruited abroad, the employer must provide decent, suitable housing. For others, housing is not mandatory. Maximum working time is 40 hours a week averaged over the year, unless a collective agreement is more favourable.

Steps to find a season in Spain

Most hiring happens locally or through cooperatives, temp agencies and the public employment service. Planning ahead and speaking Spanish make the biggest difference.

1. Choose the farm campaign or tourist area according to the calendar.
2. Write a CV in Spanish with availability, languages and experience.
3. Search the SEPE Empléate portal and regional employment service websites.
4. Contact farm cooperatives, licensed temp agencies and hotel chains one to three months ahead.
5. Apply for an NIE and, once hired, social security affiliation.
6. Confirm in writing pay, hours, housing and the applicable collective agreement.
7. Non-EU nationals should go through a GECCO offer or a seasonal authorisation obtained by the employer.

Mistakes and scams to avoid

Farm campaigns attract unscrupulous intermediaries. These habits protect against the most common abuses in the fields and in hotels alike.

• Paying an intermediary for a place in a campaign or a GECCO contract.
• Working without a contract or social security affiliation.
• Accepting substandard or overpriced housing deducted from wages.
• Ignoring the provincial collective agreement, often better than the minimum wage.
• Breaking the GECCO return commitment, which bars access for three years.

Costs, pay and documents

The table below summarises the main benchmarks and formalities for a season in Spain. Exact amounts vary by province, collective agreement and contract type.

Tax for seasonal workers

Wages are subject to income tax withholding and social security contributions. Tax non-residents are taxed under specific rules. Payslips, called nóminas, must itemise every deduction, including housing when it is charged.

Frequently asked questions

Here are answers to the questions most often asked by European and international candidates considering a farm campaign or tourist season in Spain.

How can I work in the Huelva strawberries?

Europeans apply directly to Huelva cooperatives and farms from winter. Third-country nationals, especially from Morocco, are selected in their home country through GECCO, with travel and housing covered by the employer.

Do I need to speak Spanish?

For picking, basic Spanish is often enough because instructions are simple. For tourism, Spanish is usually required, and a second foreign language such as English or German is a decisive advantage in Balearic and Canary Island hotels.

What is a fijo-discontinuo contract?

It is a permanent contract for seasonal or intermittent activities. The worker works during the season, then remains inactive without losing the job, and must be called back the following season according to agreed order and rules.

How long can a non-EU worker stay?

With the seasonal authorisation, up to nine months per calendar year, over a renewable four-year period. At the end of each period, the worker must return home and report to the Spanish consulate within one month.