The magazine for expats in Spain

Expat news in Spain

How does the new real estate law in Spain affect foreign tenants and owners?

Published in the Official Gazette on June 2, Spain's new real estate law has been in force since June 30. The law was urgently introduced to regulate Spain's strained real estate market and facilitate access to housing, especially in "stressed areas". The new law tightly regulates rents and puts tenants and landlords on an equal footing. So what do you need to keep in mind when buying property in Spain?

Everyday life

From Argentina to Barcelona: A freelancer's adventure

Born in Argentina, Vanessa has always been passionate about her Italian roots. This led her to Rome in 2015, the same year when she met the love of her life. In 2021, she decided to follow him to Barcelona, where they now enjoy a fulfilling expat life. Being a freelance translator, Vanessa shares her story of why she chose to move to Europe and all that comes with it.

Visas

Why the Spanish Golden Visa program could end soon

Are we witnessing the last days of the Spanish Golden Visa? While Portugal and Ireland have announced the end of their Golden Visa programs intended for wealthy foreign investors, Spain's political left wing is proposing a law to abolish access to citizenship through real estate investment. How is this going to affect immigration in Spain?

Expat news

Everyday life

Immigration to Spain: What are the prospects in 2023?

As Spain prepares to launch its new Digital Nomad Visa, what should you know about moving there in 2023? The country also has a new Startup Act to encourage entrepreneurship, even from expats, and it boasts of the lowest inflation in the EU and multiple new social welfare policies at the moment. Retirees have historically been a big expat demographic in Spain, but there are now increasingly more young expats in their 20s and 30s.

Tax

Andalusia eliminates wealth tax to attract more expats

The sunny autonomous community of southern Spain, Andalusia, has scrapped the wealth tax that used to be levied on assets. It wants to attract expats and boost the economy with its tax attractiveness. Other autonomous communities, Galicia and Murcia, are following suit, while the central government plans on adopting measures that will cancel out the advantages of Andalusia's fiscal reform.

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Features

Children

An expat in Valencia talks about his routine ...

Expat.com meets Stefano, an Italian expatriate who lives in Valencia with his family. Let's talk about his routine between remote work and managing children during the lockdown.

Barcelona's population is half expatriate !

Almost half of Barcelona's residents are foreign-born and this is a record. This was revealed last week by the Municipal Register of Inhabitants of the city. Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, an autonomous region in Spain, seems to be a haven for expatriates. This is due to two reasons: firstly there is record growth of expats joining Barcelona's multicultural composition that is rapidly changing the face of the city and secondly there are the deliberate efforts by the City Administration to transform the existing multiculturalism into an interconnected, intercultural community for all its citizens.

Work

A glance at Spain's booming startup ecosystem

Spain's pleasant climate, relaxed lifestyle among friendly people, international community, and access to talent are some of the factors that have been attracting foreign entrepreneurs to the country. If you're looking for new business opportunities abroad, Expat.com gives you some good reasons to launch your start up in Spain.

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Expat interviews

Everyday life

Being women entrepreneurs in Madrid: two ...

Madrid is known to be a land of opportunities, and Alice and Emilie cannot deny it. They both moved to Spain in 2018 as trailing spouses. Today, they are their own boss and are part of a network of women entrepreneurs. Alice and Emilie look back on their expat journey and tell us about their everyday life in the Spanish capital.

Everyday life

Changing countries and career paths: Alicia ...

Alicia has lived in different countries on different continents and had a taste of different working cultures -- which made her realize that she needed to work towards something more meaningful. She has always had a passion for couture, so she decided to earn a living from it. Now an expat in Barcelona, she talks to Expat.com about her journey and the challenges of being an entrepreneur in a new country, especially when you don't speak the language perfectly.

Everyday life

Silvana, singing her way from Italy to Spain

Silvana left Sicily to travel the world. And after living in London and Barcelona, it is in Ayamonte that the young singer decided to try her luck at her craft. Navigating between jazz, swing, bossa nova, pop and rock, Silvana tells us about her expat life as a singer.

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Global edition articles

Everyday life

Transform your expat experience through ...

These associations act as a crucial link between your home country and your new country, and they have proved their utility. Although their services are well-known to beneficiaries, what does it mean to volunteer in such an association? What are the benefits of volunteering as an expat, and how does one get started?

Leisure

"Expats": A gripping drama series ...

In early 2024, the Prime Video streaming platform debuted “Expats", a drama series based on the book by Janice Y. K. Lee. It portrays the lives of three women from diverse backgrounds who are linked by a singular drama: Margaret, Hilary, and Mercy, each facing unexpected and traumatic events that upheave their existences.

Everyday life

How the 2024 Paris Olympics will impact ...

With less than three months until the start of the Paris Olympics, expatriates are feeling a mix of excitement and concern, especially those currently living in the capital or planning to move there during this period. The media predictions are unanimous: the event will affect the daily lives of all residents. But what will the actual impact be, and how can one prepare?