HIGHLY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL
Whenever a company or group of companies located in Spanish territory needs a foreign professional to carry out its activity, this residence may be applied for:
Managers or Highly Qualified Personnels hired by a company or group of companies
One of the following requirements must be accomplished:
- An average of 250 workers in Spain during the three months immediately prior to the submission of the application and registered in the corresponding Social Security scheme.
- Annual net turnover in Spain in excess of 50 million euros; or volume of equity or net worth in excess of 43 million euros in Spain.
- Average gross annual investment from abroad of no less than 1 million euros in the three years immediately prior to the submission of the application.
- Companies with an investment stock value or position, according to the latest data from the Foreign Investment Register of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, in excess of 3 million euros.

In the case of “small and medium-sized companies” established in Spain, working on a sector considered “strategic”, it must be accredited by a report from the Directorate General for International Trade and Investment.
Hiring Managers or Highly Qualified Personnels to run a business project
The below project must be considered and accredited as being of “general interest” according to the Directorate-General for International Trade and Investment. Due to that, such business must accomplish some of the following conditions:
- A significant increase in the creation of direct jobs by the company applying for the contract.
- Maintenance of employment.
- A significant increase in job creation in the sector of activity or geographical area in which the employment activity is to be carried out.
- An extraordinary investment with a significant social-economic impact in the geographical area in which the work is to be carried out
- A relevant contribution to scientific and/or technological innovation.

Graduates & Postgraduates
These may also apply for this residence under the condition that they come from a highly prestigious university and/or business school.
