In a significant policy shift for 2025, Spain has eased the rules for issuing short-term work permits under the Entrepreneurs Act, providing more flexibility for foreign professionals and companies operating internationally.

What’s Changed?
Previously, work permits issued under the Entrepreneurs Act required a minimum validity of 90 days. This restriction often complicated plans for companies needing to bring in experts for short-term assignments or for researchers attending conferences or collaborative projects.

Under the new rules:

• Work permits can now be granted for just a few days or weeks;

• The change applies exclusively to visa categories covered by the Entrepreneurs Act;

• The general immigration regime remains unchanged and still requires a minimum 90-day stay.

Who Can Benefit from the New Policy?
The reform opens short-term work permit eligibility to several key categories of foreign professionals:

• Highly Qualified Specialists – individuals with advanced education and in-demand expertise;

• EU Blue Card Holders – skilled workers from non-EU countries who meet salary and qualification thresholds;

• Researchers – participating in scientific projects, academic events, or lectures;

• Intra-Corporate Transferees – employees relocated within multinational companies;

• Digital Nomads – remote workers looking to reside temporarily in Spain.

What Hasn’t Changed?
While the minimum stay requirement has been reduced, all other conditions remain in place:

• Applicants must still meet all qualification, salary, and documentation standards;

• The application process itself has not been streamlined;

• Standard work permits, family reunification, and non-profit visas under the general regime still require a minimum stay of 90 days.

This targeted update supports Spain’s efforts to attract global talent and enhance international collaboration while maintaining control over standard immigration procedures.