Primary school teacher · Spain

Teach in Spain
with a foreign qualification.

Spain treats a foreign teaching degree as a question for the ministry, not for the school that wants to hire you. The homologación decision and the authorisation to live and work there are separate procedures, and this page keeps them apart on purpose.

Recognition
Regulated
Work permits sourced
3
Official sources
13
Last checked
2026-08-03
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The short answer

Two questions, and they are not the same question.

◎Licence decision required

Recognition

Regulated · assessed case by case

Who decides: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades — Royal Decree 889/2022 names the predecessor Ministry of Universities; the ministry's own guidance lists Maestro de Educación Primaria under the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.

Spain runs two separate procedures that are easy to confuse. A qualification obtained outside the EU goes through academic homologación or declaración de equivalencia under Royal Decree 889/2022, resolved by the Ministry of Universities. A qualification obtained inside the EU/EEA goes through professional recognition under Royal Decree 581/2017, handled by whichever ministry is competent for that profession.

↗Always required

Work authorisation

Whatever the recognition branch says, you still need the legal right to work in Spain. We have sourced 3 routes for a qualification obtained outside the EU and EEA.

  • Residence authorisation for highly qualified professionals — national route
  • Tarjeta azul-UE (EU Blue Card)
  • Teletrabajador de carácter internacional (international-teleworking visa and residence authorisation)

Qualified inside the EU or EEA? Free movement replaces this branch entirely — pick your country below and the answer changes accordingly.

Work authorisation

Every permit we can source,
side by side.

Open the full roadmap →

Residence authorisation for highly qualified professionals — national route

Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE-CE), Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones

Checklist
Qualification
A qualification comparable to at least level 1 of Spain's higher-education qualifications framework (MECES) — the level of an advanced vocational qualification (EQF 5A) — or, failing that, knowledge, skills and competencies backed by at least three years of comparable professional experience.
UGE-CE decision
Maximum 20 business days from the complete electronic application (art. 76.1). If not decided within that period, the authorisation is deemed granted by positive administrative silence.
UGE-CE authorisation fee (tasa, modelo 038)
Not published on the pages read for this file — confirm the current amount before applying
National visa (visado tipo D)
Set per consulate by nationality — confirm with the mission handling your case
The procedure, step by step4 steps · 3 possible outcomes
  1. Secure a job offer in Spain for a qualified employment or professional relationship that meets the qualification requirement above.
  2. Gather evidence of the qualification or of the three years' comparable experience — this route does not ask for a separately obtained homologación or declaración de equivalencia certificate before applying.This authorisation is a decision to reside and work; it is not a decision on whether the job itself is a regulated profession. That is a separate question, answered by the recognition part of this page rather than by this route.
  3. Apply electronically to UGE-CE. If you are abroad and need a visa, the competent Spanish diplomatic mission or consular office issues it once the authorisation is granted.Applications under this section are decided and notified within 10 business days, unless your case is subject to the prior consultation under art. 22 of the EU Visa Code, in which case that Code's own timeline applies instead.
  4. Once in Spain, apply for the foreigner identity card (TIE) if the authorisation is valid for more than six months.

Possible outcomes

  • A residence authorisation valid for three years, or for the contract's length plus three months where the contract runs shorter than three years — never longer than three years in total.
  • A renewal for two further years, requested in the 60 days before expiry, where the conditions that generated the right are maintained; long-term residence becomes available at five years where its own requirements are met.
  • Refusal, where the qualification or experience requirement is not met, or where the documents submitted are fraudulent, falsified or adulterated.

Tarjeta azul-UE (EU Blue Card)

Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE-CE), Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones

Checklist
Salary floor
EUR 41,356.36 (2026 figure)Art. 71 bis.1.c) Ley 14/2013 sets the floor at 1.4 times the national average annual gross wage the National Statistics Institute (INE) publishes each year (Orden PJC/44/2026). Applying the average wage for 2024 — €29,540.26, which INE published on 28 May 2026 — UGE-CE's own June 2026 update states a general threshold of €41,356.36 and a reduced threshold of €33,085.09 (an 0.8 coefficient). The reduced threshold applies where the job is on a government shortage-occupation list within occupational groups 1 and 2 of the national classification, or where you obtained the required qualification no more than three years before applying for the card. UGE-CE's same June 2026 update states a single €41,356.36 threshold, with no reduced tier, for the separate national route above. The threshold moves whenever INE publishes a new annual figure — confirm the current one before relying on it.
Qualification
A higher-education qualification of at least three years, equivalent to level 2 of Spain's higher-education qualifications framework (MECES) — the same level as a Bachelor's degree — or, failing that, at least five years of knowledge, skills and competencies the employer can show are comparable to that qualification and relevant to the job stated in the contract or firm offer.
UGE-CE decision
Maximum 20 business days from the complete electronic application (art. 76.1). If not decided within that period, the authorisation is deemed granted by positive administrative silence.
UGE-CE authorisation fee (tasa, modelo 038)
Not published on the pages read for this file — confirm the current amount before applying
National visa (visado tipo D)
Set per consulate by nationality — confirm with the mission handling your case
The procedure, step by step4 steps · 4 possible outcomes
  1. Secure a valid employment contract or a firm job offer for at least six months, at or above the salary threshold that applies to your case.
  2. Gather evidence of the qualification requirement above.Where the job is a regulated profession, art. 71 bis.1.a) additionally requires proof of homologación under the sectoral rules for that profession before the card can be granted. Whether your job is regulated, and whether homologación or declaración de equivalencia is the one you need, is answered by the recognition part of this page, not by this route.
  3. Apply electronically to UGE-CE. If you need a visa to enter Spain, the competent Spanish consular authorities issue it without imposing any further requirement beyond those in Ley 14/2013 and the general visa rules.Applications under this section are decided and notified within 10 business days, unless your case is subject to the prior consultation under art. 22 of the EU Visa Code, in which case that Code's own timeline applies instead.
  4. Once in Spain, apply for the foreigner identity card (TIE) if the authorisation is valid for more than six months.

Possible outcomes

  • A Blue Card valid for three years, or for the contract's length plus three months where the contract runs shorter than three years — never longer than three years in total.
  • A renewal for two further years, requested in the 60 days before expiry, where the conditions that generated the right are maintained; long-term residence becomes available at five years where its own requirements are met.
  • Revocation or non-renewal where the holder accumulates more than three months of unemployment (having held the card under two years) or more than six months (having held it at least two years) — with a three- or six-month grace period respectively to find new qualified employment.
  • Refusal, where the salary threshold, the qualification requirement or the other conditions in art. 71 bis are not met, or where the documents submitted are fraudulent, falsified or adulterated.

Teletrabajador de carácter internacional (international-teleworking visa and residence authorisation)

Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE-CE), Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones

Checklist
Qualification
Graduate or postgraduate standing from a university or business school of recognised prestige, an advanced vocational qualification, or at least three years of professional experience.
Visa validity
Up to one year, or the length of the work engagement if shorter
Residence authorisation for international teleworking
Up to three years, or the length of the work engagement if shorter; renewable for two-year periods while the conditions are maintained
UGE-CE authorisation fee (tasa, modelo 038)
Not published on the pages read for this file — confirm the current amount before applying
National visa (visado tipo D)
Set per consulate by nationality — confirm with the mission handling your case
The procedure, step by step4 steps · 3 possible outcomes
  1. Confirm the company you work for or contract with has been genuinely and continuously active for at least one year, is established outside Spain, and can document that your role can be carried out remotely.If you work under an employment contract, that relationship with the non-Spain company must already have run for at least three months before you apply. If you work under a commercial/professional relationship instead, the same three-month minimum applies, and up to 20% of your total professional activity may be for a company located in Spain — an employee under this route may not work for a Spain-based company at all.
  2. If you are outside Spain, apply for the international-teleworking visa, valid for up to one year or for the length of the work engagement if shorter. The visa is itself sufficient title to reside and work remotely in Spain for its whole validity.Applications under this section are decided and notified within 10 business days, unless your case is subject to the prior consultation under art. 22 of the EU Visa Code, in which case that Code's own timeline applies instead.
  3. Show your own resources are sufficient: at least 200% of the monthly SMI for yourself, plus 75% of the monthly SMI for the first family member joining you and 25% for each further one.At the 2026 SMI of €1,221/month (14 payments, Real Decreto 126/2026), 200% is €2,442/month, 75% is €915.75/month and 25% is €305.25/month. The percentages come from a joint ministry instruction dated 29 March 2023 — no later version was found for this file — so confirm they still apply before relying on them; the SMI itself is refreshed every year and should be checked independently of the percentage rule.
  4. If you are already living in Spain lawfully, or once your visa is close to expiry, apply for the residence authorisation for international teleworking directly — up to 60 days before the visa expires — provided the conditions that generated the right are maintained.

Possible outcomes

  • A visa granting sufficient title to reside and work remotely in Spain during its validity, for up to one year.
  • A residence authorisation for international teleworking, for up to three years, renewable for two-year periods while the qualifying conditions are maintained.
  • Refusal, where the company's activity, the remote-work documentation, the own-resources requirement or the other conditions in art. 74 ter are not met.

Recognition procedure

What the authority asks of you.

Ordered the way the procedure runs, from an origin outside the EU and EEA. Pick your own country of qualification below and the planner reorders it for you.

1

Prepare your documents

  1. Request certified copies of your degree and full academic transcripts from the institution that issued them in Colombia.
  2. Colombia is a contracting party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille replaces consular legalisation. Obtain it from the competent authority Colombia has designated.Apostilles are issued per document. Budget one for the degree and one for each transcript you submit.
  3. Have your degree and academic record legalised — diplomatically or by Hague apostille — and accompanied by an official translation into Spanish.Royal Decree 889/2022, art. 13.1.d exempts documents issued in an EU member state, the EEA or Switzerland from this requirement.
2

Get your qualification assessed

  1. Pay the application fee (tasa, modelo 790) and file the application through the competent ministry's electronic register. Proof of payment is required for the file to be processed.
  2. Apply for homologación of your degree to the Spanish degree that gives access to the profession of Maestro de Educación Primaria, under Royal Decree 889/2022. This is an academic procedure, not the EU professional-recognition one.
  3. Because the profession is regulated, your degree must incorporate the knowledge and competencies that Spanish rules require in order to practise it.Royal Decree 889/2022, art. 8.1.
3

Register and start working

  1. Once homologación is granted, apply to the education authority of the autonomous community where you want to teach — hiring, and any additional language requirement, are decided regionally.

What it costs

Apostille (per document)
Set by the authority Colombia designates — confirm the current fee before applying
Application fee (tasa, modelo 790)
Set by the ministry — confirm the current amount before paying
Sworn translation and legalisation
Additional to the official fee

How long it takes

Homologación decision (non-EU qualifications)
Legal maximum of 6 months from entry in the electronic register
Homologación decision
Legal maximum of six months from entry in the electronic register

Possible outcomes

  • Homologación granted — your degree is treated as the Spanish degree that gives access to the profession.
  • Homologación granted subject to additional requirements the ministry specifies.
  • Refusal, where sufficient equivalence in level, duration and content is not established.

Possible, not predicted. Nobody here can tell you which one you will get.

Where you qualified

The answer changes
with your country.

Everything we cover →

Qualified outside the EU and EEA — permit required

Colombia → SpainOpen this roadmapArgentina → SpainOpen this roadmapIndia → SpainOpen this roadmapPhilippines → SpainOpen this roadmap

Qualified inside the EU or EEA — free movement applies

Germany → SpainDifferent answerNetherlands → SpainDifferent answer

People reach this page looking for

  • homologación de título extranjero de maestro
  • teach in Spain with a foreign degree
  • primary teacher recognition Spain
  • Spain highly qualified professional visa
  • teaching jobs in Spain for foreigners

Questions

Answered from the same sources.

Is primary school teacher a regulated profession in Spain?

Yes. Regulated · assessed case by case. The decision is made by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades.

Which authority recognises a foreign primary school teacher qualification in Spain?

Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Royal Decree 889/2022 names the predecessor Ministry of Universities; the ministry's own guidance lists Maestro de Educación Primaria under the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.

Which work permits can a primary school teacher apply for in Spain?

We have sourced 3: Residence authorisation for highly qualified professionals — national route, Tarjeta azul-UE (EU Blue Card), Teletrabajador de carácter internacional (international-teleworking visa and residence authorisation). Each one has its own conditions, and this page compares them side by side rather than recommending one.

What salary do you need to work in Spain as a primary school teacher?

Tarjeta azul-UE (EU Blue Card): EUR 41,356.36 (2026 figure, Art. 71 bis.1.c) Ley 14/2013 sets the floor at 1.4 times the national average annual gross wage the National Statistics Institute (INE) publishes each year (Orden PJC/44/2026). Applying the average wage for 2024 — €29,540.26, which INE published on 28 May 2026 — UGE-CE's own June 2026 update states a general threshold of €41,356.36 and a reduced threshold of €33,085.09 (an 0.8 coefficient). The reduced threshold applies where the job is on a government shortage-occupation list within occupational groups 1 and 2 of the national classification, or where you obtained the required qualification no more than three years before applying for the card. UGE-CE's same June 2026 update states a single €41,356.36 threshold, with no reduced tier, for the separate national route above. The threshold moves whenever INE publishes a new annual figure — confirm the current one before relying on it.).

How long does the process take?

Homologación decision (non-EU qualifications): Legal maximum of 6 months from entry in the electronic register. Homologación decision: Legal maximum of six months from entry in the electronic register. These are the timeframes the authorities publish, not a prediction about your case.

Is this page up to date?

The oldest source behind it was checked on 2026-08-03. Every claim links to the official page it came from, with its own check date, so you can verify any of it yourself in one click.

Evidence

Every claim on this page, and where it came from.

13 official pages, each with the jurisdiction it speaks for and the date a human last opened it. The oldest of them is 2026-08-03, and that is the date this page is only as fresh as.

Two minutes, no account

Your qualification, your country, your roadmap.

This page answers the pairing in general. The planner answers it for the country you actually qualified in, and prints the result with its sources attached.

Build my roadmap →How we verify this