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Immigration
Lawyers Spain by Peralta Rojas Abogados

Immigration services for companies and HR departments

When a company brings professionals from outside the European Union to Spain, the residence permit is only part of the work. We handle the full application before the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE), the permits for each employee's family and the expiry dates of all your foreign staff, with one named lawyer as the contact for your HR team.

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In short

Companies that hire or transfer non-EU professionals to Spain usually apply to the UGE-CE, a specialist government unit that works online and has a legal deadline of 20 days. We prepare and file each application, include the employee's family, track every renewal and help you meet the duty to report changes.

What we take care of

  1. 01 Assessment before each move We review the role, salary, qualifications and nationality of the employee and confirm which permit fits: highly qualified professional, EU Blue Card or intra-company transfer. You receive a specific document list for the company and for the employee.
  2. 02 Highly qualified professional and EU Blue Card We prepare and file the application before the UGE-CE as your authorised representatives, check that the contract meets the current salary threshold and deal with any request for documents until the decision.
  3. 03 Intra-company transfers, including group filings We handle the ICT EU permit or the national transfer permit for managers, specialists and trainees moving from another company in the group. Where several moves are planned, we assess the collective procedure in article 74 of Law 14/2013.
  4. 04 Company registration with the UGE Where it applies, we prepare the company's accreditation so that it does not have to be repeated with every application, and keep the details held by the UGE up to date.
  5. 05 Employees' families We file the applications for the spouse or partner, children and, where relevant, dependent parents together with the employee's, so that all are decided at the same time.
  6. 06 Visa, NIE and TIE We prepare the visa file when the employee is outside Spain and guide them through the fingerprint appointment for the TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero, the foreigner's identity card), the only step that requires them in person at a police station.
  7. 07 Renewals and expiry tracking We keep a calendar of the expiry dates of every permit, passport and TIE across your foreign workforce, alert you well in advance and file renewals online.
  8. 08 Compliance and changes during residence We advise on the duty to report to the UGE any change affecting the conditions of the permit, such as a new role, salary or group company, and file the notification for you.

01Which permit does each employee need?

Spain's Law 14/2013 on entrepreneurs and internationalisation sets out the residence and work permits designed for talent and for mobility within corporate groups. They are processed by the UGE-CE, a unit of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration that works exclusively online and does not apply the labour market test: the company does not have to show that it could not find a candidate in Spain.

The right permit depends on who employs the person and why they are coming. Choosing the wrong one is the most common cause of document requests and delays, which is why every engagement starts with an assessment.

  • A company in Spain hires a manager or qualified professional: national highly qualified professional permit or EU Blue Card, depending on qualifications, salary and the European mobility you need.
  • A group company outside the EU sends an employee to Spain: intra-company transfer, either the ICT EU permit for managers, specialists and trainees, or the national permit for other cases.
  • An employee already working remotely for a foreign company wants to live in Spain: the international remote work permit, also processed by the UGE.

02How the UGE-CE process works

Applications are filed through the Ministry's online portal. The law gives the UGE 20 days from filing to decide and, if there is no answer, the permit is deemed granted (positive administrative silence). While the application is pending, the employee's existing stay or residence is extended.

As a general rule, the employee cannot start work until the permit is granted. If they are outside Spain, they then apply for the visa at the consulate; the law allows 10 working days for that decision, unless prior consultation between Schengen states is required. Once in Spain, they have one month to apply for the TIE.

Permits are granted for up to three years, depending on the category, and renewed for two years at a time. After five years of legal residence the employee can apply for long-term residence.

03Company registration and group filings

When the company takes part in the application, it must show that it carries on a genuine business. To avoid repeating this proof with every file, the company can be registered with the UGE for a renewable period, with a duty to report changes. We tell you whether this is worthwhile in your case and prepare the paperwork.

For intra-company transfers, the law also provides a collective procedure for groups moving several employees. We review your planned moves with you and advise whether a group filing or individual applications will work better.

04The employee's family

The spouse or partner, minor children, adult children who depend financially on the employee and dependent parents can apply at the same time as the employee or later. If they apply together, the applications are decided together, which often matters when someone is weighing up a move.

We check marriage and birth certificates early, including their apostille or legalisation and sworn translation, because these are usually the documents that take longest to gather.

05Compliance: the duty to report changes

A permit is granted for specific conditions. The seventh additional provision of Law 14/2013 requires those conditions to be maintained and any change affecting them to be reported to the UGE within 30 days. If they are not met, the permit may be withdrawn after the holder has been heard.

In practice, the risk comes from internal changes that HR does not always connect with immigration: a new job title, reduced hours or salary, a move to another group company or the early end of an assignment. We give you a clear list of what to tell us and file the notification.

06How we work with your HR team

One lawyer at the firm is your contact for every file. At the outset we agree how documents will be exchanged, who signs on behalf of the company and how you will be kept informed.

  • A file and calendar for each employee: permit, family, filing date, decision, visa, TIE and expiry.
  • Expiry alerts with enough notice to prepare each renewal calmly.
  • Regular status reports on all files, in English or Spanish.
  • Replies to UGE document requests within the deadline, using the information the company provides.
  • Direct support for the employee and their family with the personal steps: consulate, fingerprints and documents from their home country.

07What the employee must do in person

We file everything that goes to the UGE as representatives. Two steps are personal: the visa application at the consulate, when the employee is abroad, and the fingerprint appointment for the TIE at a police station. We prepare the file for both and explain exactly what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

Does the company have to be large to use the UGE?

No. Despite its name, the UGE-CE also deals with SMEs, start-ups and mid-sized groups. What matters is the type of permit, not the size of the company.

Can the employee start work while the application is pending?

As a general rule, no. They can start once the permit is granted or deemed granted by positive silence and, if they are abroad, once they hold the visa. The law makes an exception for holders of an EU Blue Card issued by another member state.

What happens if the employee changes role or group company?

It depends on the change. Some only need to be reported to the UGE within 30 days; others may require a new application. Check with us before the change is signed.

How much does the service cost?

It depends on the number of employees, the permits involved and whether expiry tracking is included. We send a written proposal after an initial meeting.

Do you work with companies based outside Spain?

Yes. Many moves are organised by the parent company abroad. We work in English with the global mobility team and with the Spanish subsidiary.

Can you review the foreign staff we already employ?

Yes. We carry out an initial review of permits, TIE cards and expiry dates across your foreign workforce and tell you what needs to be regularised, renewed or reported.

Related procedures

Skilled workers and business (UGE) UGE-CE permitsSpain's fast-track unit for skilled workers, transferees, founders, researchers and their families. Skilled workers and business (UGE) Highly qualified professional visaResidence for senior staff and skilled professionals hired by companies in Spain. Filed with the UGE. Skilled workers and business (UGE) EU Blue CardThe EU work and residence permit for graduates hired in Spain. 2026 salary threshold, filed with the UGE. Skilled workers and business (UGE) Intra-company transferResidence for staff transferred to Spain within a corporate group: managers, specialists and trainees.