Moving to Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain

Relocation, Relocation, Relocation...

If you are thinking of moving to Lanzarote we can help you with:-
· Finding accomodation before you arrive on the island
· Opening a bank account
· Enrolling your children in local schools
· Obtaining your NIE number (Spanish National Identity Number) and your NIF number (fiscal number), both of which you will need to have in order to be able to buy property, cars, enroll your children in local schools, work, become self employed or set up your own business etc
· Registering on the electoral roll in the municipality where you are residing.
· Obtaining ‘residencia’ (residency in Lanzarote), which holds many advantages especially when buying or selling property, travelling within Spain and the Canary Islands, or contracting a mains water supply for your property.

Moving to Lanzarote

Checklist before you arrive on the Island organise some sort of medical insurance coverage for the period that you are searching for work. Long-term accommodation can be difficult to find especially in the busy summer period so try your best to organise accommodation before you arrive. If you arrive without accommodation organised make sure that you bring sufficient funds to acquire a rental. Most rental agreements are signed for six months and require a deposit equal to two months rent and a months rent up front. If you rent a property, make sure that you have a rental contract signed by the owner of the property stipulating all agreed terms and conditions.

Working in Lanzarote

Working in Lanzarote. Every EU Citizen has the right to work in Lanzarote with full working rights equivalent to that of his Spanish counterpart. In order to work in Lanzarote the first thing you must do is to obtain a tax number known as a NIF or Numero de Identification Fiscal. This number will be used in all taxation dealings. Secondly you must enrol with the social security system and obtain a social security number which, in most cases, you can quote any time you need to see a Government doctor, free of charge.

As an employee your social security will be paid by your employer along with tax retention. As a self-employed person you will have to apply for a fiscal licence allowing you to trade in a particular field. You will be obliged to pay social security every month and tax every quarter. At the end of the tax year you will also be obliged to make a tax declaration.

Setting up a Company in Lanzarote, Spain

Setting up a company is slightly more complicated and it would be advisable to seek professional legal help (we can recommend a reputable English speaking lawyer). Izquierdo y de la Cueva Solicitors pone 928 81 52 62 email: eileen@lanzarotelawyers.com / mario@lanzarotelawyers.com Should you start to work or if you become self employed and have employees, it is important to make sure you have a legal contract, or that you offer a legal contract to your workers, and that all social relevant social security payments are being made. It is important to note that it is the employers of illegal workers that will bear penalties should there be a work inspection.

Legal Advice

If you intend setting up a business do contact a lawyer (solicitors Izquierdo y de la Cueva are well known and recommended by us 928 81 52 62), but we also work with other reputable English speaking lawyers). A working knowledge of Spanish would be a desirable but not necessary asset to have if you intend to work within the main tourist resorts. Should you intended to work in areas such as the capital Arrecife a certain degree of fluency would be required and on the whole makes life easier once you have made the decision to relocate.