The Spanish contract you’re signing, decoded

Contract types

Since the 2022 labour reform the default is the contrato indefinido (permanent); temporary contracts are legal only for specific justified cases. You may also meet the fijo-discontinuo (permanent-seasonal — common in hospitality) and training/internship contracts. If an offer for a normal ongoing role insists on repeated short temporary contracts, that's a flag worth questioning.

What the contract references

Spanish contracts lean on the sector's convenio colectivo (collective agreement): minimum salary tables, hours, extra payments. Two quirks worth knowing: salaries are often quoted in 14 payments (12 monthly + 2 extra in July/December — same annual total, different monthly figure), and probation periods (periodo de prueba) are capped by law/convenio, commonly up to 6 months for degree-holder roles.

Your safety net

Everything official about your employment life — contribution history (vida laboral), unemployment rights — lives with Social Security and SEPE. Statutory minimums (SMI, holidays — 30 calendar days/year, notice) apply regardless of what a contract says. Official starting points: Ministerio de Trabajo and SEPE.

Common questions