Dear all,

First, thanks in advance for all of your contribution.

I?m a non EU who?s currently living in Barcelona, Spain with a student visa. A week from now I?m about to pick up my residence permit and apply for a work permit as a student.

As I was applying for part time jobs I received a FULL TIME job offer which I certainly don?t want to miss out on. Plus, I haven?t even started my Masters yet which is approx. in 4 months from now (November).

I recently and directly came from the Netherlands where I studied for 4 yrs and obtained my Bachelors. And in between my studies, I lived in Germany for almost 1 yr for an internship.

After doing some thorough research, I understand that the company which have offered me the job must process some paperwork for me. I also know that it?s highly possible that I might need to go back to my country to issue and pick up my new visa once its done—which I really want to avoid cuz i just got here.

I seek advice in what is the best way to change my student visa to a regular work and resident visa while I stay in here in Spain.

Thanks again for your contribution.

sevan,
as far as i can remember, you can only change your student card for a regular resident/work permit after you have completed three years as a student. you may be allowed to work on a limited basis while having a student card, though.

aritz,

Thanks for the info. I just went today to the Employement Bureau (Departament de treball) with a catalan friend of mine to ask for more info regarding my situation as student who seeks to work also full time (and even better, to only work and not study). From what we were told, as a student I’m even able to work full time by applying for a modifcation of my work permit. According to them, its possible and that I wouldn’t need to go back to my country to reapply. Overall, he made a strong gesture that I had nothing to worry about as long as my employer provides the necessary documents.

From my experience living in the NL and GER, I understood that there’s a limit to the amount of work hours a student can get. However, according to the info I received, I can ask for full-time—and not just for 3 months. Maybe its too premature to say already believe that this is easily achieveable, but i think information as such will never be known unless you directly ask and bring a friend who speaks their language.

Look forward to get more info and opinions of this case from the community. As well I’ll post some updates.

THNKS

sevan,
what i do not understand is how you can be here on a student visa and pick up a residence permit.
do you mean your student card?
a student card is different from a residence card (nonworking resident card or a working resident card).
being a student working full time and not studying sounds contradictory.
in any case, here is the article of the alien law regarding students who want to become residents.

Veintis?is. El apartado 1 del art?culo 95 queda redactado en los siguientes t?rminos:
?1. Los extranjeros que se encuentren en Espa?a en situaci?n de estancia por estudios podr?n acceder a la situaci?n de residencia y trabajo sin necesidad de solicitar visado cuando el empleador, como sujeto legitimado, presente la solicitud de autorizaci?n para residir y trabajar y se cumplan los requisitos laborales exigidos en el art?culo 50, excepto el apartado 3.a), y se acredite, adem?s, que el extranjero:
a) Ha permanecido en Espa?a durante al menos tres a?os en la situaci?n de estancia por estudios.
b) Ha realizado los estudios o el trabajo de investigaci?n con aprovechamiento.
c) No ha sido becado o subvencionado por organismos p?blicos o privados dentro de programas de cooperaci?n o de desarrollo del pa?s de origen.
El estudiante o investigador que se acoja a esta posibilidad podr? igualmente solicitar una autorizaci?n de residencia a favor de los familiares en situaci?n de estancia previstos en el art?culo 89 que se encuentren conviviendo con ?l en el momento de la solicitud, siempre y cuando acredite suficiencia econ?mica y disponibilidad de vivienda adecuada, en los t?rminos establecidos para la reagrupaci?n familiar en el art?culo 42.2.d) y e).?

good luck anyway.

Hi artiz,
I just got back from the police station and picked up my supposedly temporary residence permit which is a small stubbed paper. I was told that this is valid for 45 days and that in a month i need to come back with this paper stub to pick up my real residence permit card.
From my experience living in the NL and GER as a student, i? oblige to get residence permit and a student card. So its both. And im quite certain i will (need to) get both for here in spain as well.
Thanks for the information provided above. I have already known of this alien law and understand that this doesnt apply to my case. Especially because i just got here and have not even started my masters yet.
Like I said its too premature to tell exactly how my case of wanting to work full time as a student or even switching my status from studying to working only will go. Perhaps my best approach is to work full time and study at the same time for a year at least ... then change my status. For me it? just unclear whether I can work full time while studying isnt possible according to various articles online as well as my experience in the NL. But yesterdays visit to the employement bureau kinda shed some light with positive news that its possible by applying for a modification of my status.
I guess within a few weeks after I speak to my employer and applying for a work permit i? able to find much clearer solution to my case (hopefully).
I will give more updates about my case and thnx again for the contribution. More info is always helpful.