What can international plumbers, builders, electricians, mechanics and different commerce employees count on to earn in Spain? Holding in thoughts the excessive demand for these sorts of pros in Spain, how a lot they will make could shock you.
Regardless of Spain having the very best unemployment charge within the EU, there are nonetheless enormous shortages of employees in lots of fields.
Conventional trades, known as oficios in Spanish, aren’t any exception.
It is a pattern being witnessed throughout a lot of the developed world, the place expert commerce employees are in brief provide and due to this fact in excessive demand.
In international locations comparable to Australia, tradespeople are famed for incomes significantly larger salaries than white-collar employees, and the Australian skilled-based migration system favours foreigners with these guide abilities.
The Spanish authorities hasn’t correctly harnessed its migration technique to usher in expert labour of this type, with many foreigners occupying as an alternative vacancies in agriculture and hospitality. Nevertheless, it has began including commerce jobs to its list of occupations that are difficult to cover, making it simpler for non-EU nationals to get a piece allow to stay and work in Spain.
General, commerce jobs could not pay in addition to in different international locations, however with little provide and plenty of demand there’s positively rising negotiating energy.
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That is significantly true retaining in thoughts that Spain has a deficit of 600,000 houses in keeping with the central financial institution. The nation’s Nationwide Building Confederation (CNC) factors to a scarcity of 700,000 certified professionals, from plumbers to builders and electricians, who shall be wanted to fulfill these development targets.
These prepared to arrange their very own commerce enterprise in Spain could due to this fact be very shocked by how a lot work they will get.
In areas well-liked with different foreigners, many individuals have even set themselves up as English-speaking electricians or plumbers for instance, catering to the international inhabitants.
READ ALSO: Why are Spain’s new self-employed workers all foreign and what are their jobs?
People who find themselves contemplating turning into a commerce employee in Spain will normally have to finish a vocational coaching course often called formación profesional (FP).
In line with Spain’s Public Employment Service (SEPE), the job placement charge for job-seekers with an FP stood at 42.2 p.c in 2024, 4 p.c larger than for these with college levels. However it’s price retaining in thoughts that vocational coaching programs aren’t only for commerce jobs.
READ ALSO: Is doing vocational training in Spain worth it?
The next is a breakdown of the typical salaries for a number of the most typical commerce jobs. In virtually all circumstances, expertise and the actual sector inside the commerce also can play a component in how excessive earnings might be.
Plumber (Fontanero)
Plumbers are important commerce professionals in Spain, similar to in lots of international locations, due to this fact there’s all the time a necessity for them. In 2025, the typical wage of a plumber in Spain is round €1,580 web per thirty days, equal to roughly €29,070 gross per 12 months. This determine represents a 21 p.c improve in comparison with the typical nationwide wage, making plumbing one of many highest-paid commerce professions within the nation.
Builder (Albañil)
Building is without doubt one of the sectors in Spain that’s in want of essentially the most labour, that means there’s loads of jobs right here for builders. In line with the newest information from the Ministry of Labour and Social Financial system in 2024 for the primary time in 23 years, the variety of unemployed within the development sector fell beneath 200,000. In line with the job web site Expertise, the typical wage for a builder in Spain is €23,000 per 12 months. Or in the event you’re freelance, you possibly can earn €20 to €30 per hour or €130 a day.
READ ALSO: Salaries close to the minimum wage are now the most common in Spain
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Electrician (Electricista)
In line with the Madrid Employment Portal, there’s a scarcity of electricians in Spain too, so this could possibly be a great commerce job to go for. In actual fact, the Nationwide Built-in Vitality and Local weather Plan (PINIEC), warned that the variety of electricians would want to extend by greater than 500,000 every year. In line with information from the MEDAC institute and the Madrid Employment Portal, the typical wage of an electrician in Spain is round €20,868 per 12 months, which interprets to round €1,739 per thirty days. That is after all depending on ability degree and placement.
Carpenter (Carpintero)
Carpenters play an vital function within the development trade in Spain in addition to for renovations and furnishings making, due to this fact there are sometimes jobs obtainable on this sector. The wage of a carpenter in Spain varies significantly relying on degree of expertise. An apprentice carpenter with lower than three years of expertise can count on to earn round €14,100 gross per 12 months. Carpenters with between ten and twenty years of expertise can count on a mean gross wage of €25,300 per 12 months. And when you have greater than 20 years of expertise, you earn as much as €35,390 gross per 12 months.
READ ALSO: Do English speakers still have an advantage in Spain’s labour market?
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Auto-mechanic (Mecánico)
An auto-mechanic is one other occupation in Spain which has a scarcity of certified professionals to fulfill the rising demand for repairs. The quantity you’ll be able to earn tremendously depends upon the place within the nation you’re primarily based. In line with the Jooble employment portal, in Madrid a mechanic receives a mean annual wage of €25,980, though this may vary between €16,356 and €36,492, relying on the corporate and expertise. In Aragón for instance a mechanic can earn as much as €2,333 per thirty days, whereas within the Canary Islands the typical wage drops to €1,500 per thirty days. The Expertise web site, then again, estimates {that a} mechanic in Spain earns round €1,958 per thirty days, with an annual common of €23,495, and might attain as much as €32,500 in the very best circumstances.
Painter and decorator (Pintor y decorador)
The common wage of a painter in Spain in 2025 just isn’t nice, roughly €17,790 gross per 12 months, equal to roughly €9.93 web per hour. It is price retaining in thoughts although that determine can differ significantly relying on expertise and specialisation. For instance, a painter with greater than 20 years of expertise can earn a mean wage of €23,450 per 12 months. An aeronautical painter can earn round €20,500 per 12 months, which is 15 p.c greater than the typical painter’s wage. Home painters earn a mean wage of €19,700 per 12 months, 11 p.c above the typical.
Locksmith (Cerrajero)
There all the time appear to be loads of locksmiths in Spain for some cause and plenty of promoting their providers by way of stickers and leaflets too. In line with Jooble, the typical wage is far decrease than different commerce jobs in Spain round €17,160 per 12 months. This will additionally change relying on the situation.
