Language learning, immigration, and work conditions of doctors in Spain
The first immigration and work condition of doctors in Spain is fluency in the language of this country. Physicians, dentists, and the medical staff who intend to obtain a Spanish work visa must have at least a B2 in the Spanish language and receive a C1 Spanish degree in the medical degree equivalence process in Spain so that they do not have difficulty communicating with patients. The only way to get a medical work visa and a medical specialty in Spain is to be fluent in the language and go through the medical degree equivalence process in Spain.
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Topics reviewed in this article:
- Immigration and employment conditions of physicians in Spain and equivalence of documents
- Required documents for immigration and employment conditions for doctors in Spain
- Benefits of immigration and work of doctors in Spain

Immigration and employment conditions of physicians in Spain and equivalence of documents
Medical degree equivalence is one of the primary conditions required for doctors to start working in Spain. Requirements for medical or dental graduates outside the EU are as follows:
- Medical or dental degree
- Work permit and residence permit in Spain (NIE)
- Equivalence certificate from the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports
- Register with the licensing authority
- Proof of residence in the province where the applicant wants to work as a doctor
- Fluency in Spanish to a minimum of B2
If you want to work as a specialist in Spain, the following conditions are required:
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- Must have certified their medical and dental qualifications following Spanish law (equivalent from the Spanish Ministry of Education)
- Apply in a Spanish provincial college for doctors
- Having a specialist title in the applicant’s study field, known in Spain
- Have a work and residence permit in Spain
The applicants must pass the MIR test to equivalent their degrees, which has two parts:
- Theoretical: they are the clinical and diagnostic skills that measure the applicant’s skills. This test lasts two hours and has a total of 75 multiple-choice questions.
- Practical: This part confirms that the specialist has the necessary ability to make appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic decisions about problems related to the specialty. This section lasts two hours and includes three practical scenarios with specific expertise issues along with several questions.
Both parts have 100 points each, and the passing score is 50. This test is held once a year, the time of which is announced in newspapers and is usually in the last three months of the year. The applicants should do the equivalence process faster because it takes at least a year.
Required documents for immigration and employment conditions for doctors in Spain
The applicants eligible to immigrate and work as doctors in Spain must obtain the relevant organizations’ permission and meet basic requirements. This process is time-consuming and requires a long-term visa for language learning and medical degree equivalence. Therefore, the applicants can use other methods such as studying in related fields to have enough time. The required documents are as follows:
- Apply for admission to a Spanish university
- Submit admission to the University of Spain
- Presenting the full 12-year diploma with transcripts for the bachelor’s degree and the bachelor’s degree for admission to the master’s degree
- Identity documents with translated and verified identity cards
- Proof of medical health
- Provide health insurance
- Letter of financial viability
After the applicants get their admission and student visas, they have enough time to complete the equivalence process and obtaining the necessary approvals and work permit, start working as a doctor and change the student visa to a Spanish medical work visa. The required documents to obtain a work permit in the hospitals of the Spanish Kingdom and the establishment of an office or clinic is as follows:
- Approved equivalence certificate for medical and dental graduates
- Medical degree, original diploma, and copy
- Residence Permit and Work Permit (NIE)
- Passport (original and copy)
- Two photos
- Lease in the place where they want to work
- Receipt of relevant fees
- Certificate of health competence in which you have worked
After completing the equivalence process and becoming known as a specialist in the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services, and Equality, one can work in hospitals and as the person who sets up an office and clinic. To obtain a license and work as a physician independently or at the Royal Hospital of Spain, foreign medical/dental graduates must enroll in the College of Physicians of the province in which they live. All Spanish medical colleges are registered with the Spanish Medical Colleges.
Benefits of immigration and work of doctors in Spain
You can see the advantages of immigration and working of doctors in Spain:
- If you work and live in Spain, you can benefit from the Spanish services and system for free.
- If you get a medical work permit from the relevant organizations, you can set up an office and clinic in Spain for doctors and specialists.
- You can obtain a medical specialty and have a work permit in Spain by completing the equivalence process.
- You will earn a good income by evaluating medical degrees in Spain and matching doctors and dentists. The average income of medical disciplines in Spain is as follows:
- The average salary of a resident doctor is 6,120 euros per month. The minimum salary range for doctors is from 2370 Euros per month to the maximum amount of 10200 Euros per month. This monthly amount includes transportation, housing, and other benefits.
- The monthly salary of a family doctor is from 2000 to 5000 Euros per month.
- The average monthly income of dentists is around 6,310 euros (meaning that 50% of dentists in Spain receive a salary of about 6,310 euros per month)
- The applicant can bring one’s spouse and children under 18 years old.
- Children will benefit from free education in Spain, which depends on the applicant’s residence.
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