- Spain has eliminated the 90-day minimum stay requirement for certain foreign work permits under the Entrepreneurs Law.
- This change facilitates skilled professionals in taking on short-term assignments more easily.
- Work permits can now be issued for stays shorter than 90 days in specific high-skilled immigration categories.

Spain has scrapped the 90-day minimum stay rule for specific foreign work permits issued under its Entrepreneurs Law, allowing skilled professionals to legally take on short-term assignments with greater ease.
Authorities can now grant work permits for stays shorter than 90 days in certain high-skilled immigration categories, including the EU Blue Card, Highly Qualified Professional, Researcher, and Intra-Company Transfer permits.
In the past, these permits were only available for assignments of 90 days or longer, which restricted flexibility for foreign specialists handling brief projects.
With this adjustment, businesses and institutions in Spain can bring in international experts for short consulting roles, innovation projects, or research collaborations without depending on a Schengen visa, which does not allow employment.
This change better aligns work authorization with the actual duration of temporary assignments and reflects the growing global demand for mobility among highly skilled professionals.
The update applies solely to immigration categories under the Entrepreneurs Law, a framework aimed at attracting international talent, expediting processing, and supporting Spain’s startup and innovation sectors.
This marks a significant shift in Spain’s handling of short-term foreign work, reducing barriers for companies seeking to engage specialists for brief tasks without going through long-term permit procedures.
More insights
Under the new policy, applicants must still satisfy all eligibility criteria for each visa category, such as education, valid employment contracts, and minimum salary requirements.
- The reform does not affect Spain’s General Regime, which continues to regulate standard work permits, non-lucrative visas, and family reunification processes. Permits under this regime still require at least a 90-day stay.
- Short-term flexibility applies only to permits issued through the Entrepreneurs Law, initially designed to attract foreign investors, qualified workers, and digital professionals to Spain’s innovation landscape.
- The reform complements Spain’s 2023 Startup Law, which introduced the digital nomad visa and other fast-track permits for remote workers and global tech talent. By providing short-term permits under this system, Spain aims to align its immigration policy with modern work trends.
What you should know
The removal of the 90-day minimum stay for certain foreign work permits falls under Law 14/2013, widely known as the Entrepreneurs Law.
This legislation was created to attract international expertise by offering streamlined permits for investors, entrepreneurs, and highly skilled workers.
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