What certificate do I need to work in Spain?

By Eric Rodríguez (LaborIA) · Updated 14 November 2026

What certificate do I need to work in Spain? For most jobs in Spain no official certificate is required by law: your employer must train you for the job (Law 31/1995, Article 19). But some jobs come with training that employers ask for before hiring: a food handler certificate (restaurants, bars, supermarkets, canteens), allergen training (kitchens), forklift training (warehouses) and, in construction, the 20-hour safety course recorded on the TPC card. A work permit is a separate matter. Your Spanish level also counts: no law sets one for most jobs, but employers check it.

Check your Spanish level (free)Food handler certificate Forklift licence

What employers usually ask for, by job

Job	What they usually ask for	Free course (English) · test in Spanish
Restaurants, bars, hotels, canteens	Food handler certificate; often allergen training	Food handler · test in Spanish Allergens · test in Spanish
Supermarkets and food shops	Food handler certificate (counters: deli, butcher's, bakery)	Food handler · test in Spanish
Warehouses and logistics	Forklift training (theory + practice); manual handling	Forklift theory · test in Spanish Manual handling · test in Spanish
Cleaning	Basic occupational safety; cleaning and disinfection	Cleaning and disinfection · test in Spanish Occupational safety · test in Spanish
Construction	The 20-hour classroom course recorded on the TPC card (see below)	Theory of the 20 hours · test in Spanish
Any job	Occupational safety (PRL) training, given by the employer; first aid is a plus	Occupational safety · test in Spanish First aid · test in Spanish

Details: do I need a food handler certificate? · do I need a forklift licence?

What the law says

The employer trains you. Every employer must give each worker theoretical and practical training in occupational safety for their job, at the start and when it changes, at the employer's cost (Law 31/1995, Article 19).
Food handlers: the business must ensure staff are trained in food hygiene (Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter XII). There is no official card since Royal Decree 109/2010.
Forklifts: only trained workers may drive them (Royal Decree 1215/1997, Annex II, point 2.1). There is no official licence.
Construction: the sector's collective agreement requires a 20-hour training by trade that is classroom-based; it is recorded on the Construction Professional Card (TPC), issued by the Fundación Laboral de la Construcción. LaborIA's course only covers the theory and does not replace those 20 hours.

What level of Spanish do I need to work in Spain?

No law sets a Spanish level for most jobs: each employer decides, and many check it in the interview. As a rough guide, warehouse, farm and cleaning jobs often need A2; hospitality, shops and care work B1; office, phone and health jobs B2 or more (levels of the Common European Framework of Reference). What counts is what the job offer says.

LaborIA's Spanish level test is free: 40 questions in Spanish with work situations, instructions in English, your estimated level (A1–C1) and a PDF certificate. It is not the DELE and it is not valid for Spanish nationality.

Training certificates are not a work permit

If you are not an EU citizen, you need the right residence and work authorisation to be hired in Spain; EU citizens register and get a foreigner identity number (NIE). None of the training certificates on this page gives you that right. Official information: the Spanish Government's immigration portal (Portal de Inmigración).

In English or in Spanish?

Which language? LaborIA's course and its test are available in English and other languages, with a free PDF certificate in that language. The same course in Spanish gives you the certificate in Spanish, which is what an employer in Spain reads, and only the Spanish version has the optional verifiable certificate with a code (4,99 €, one-off payment). The Spanish test uses everyday workplace Spanish: if you are not sure you can follow it, check your level first with the free Spanish level test (instructions in English).

Frequently asked questions

What certificate do I need to work in a restaurant in Spain?

Usually a food handler training certificate (certificado de manipulador de alimentos) and often allergen training. There is no official card: the restaurant must ensure you are trained in food hygiene. Both courses are free here, in English or Spanish.

What certificate do I need to work in a warehouse in Spain?

There is no official forklift licence; if you will drive a forklift you need specific theory and practical training and the employer's authorisation (Royal Decree 1215/1997). Many warehouses also value manual handling training.

Do I need a certificate to work in Spain?

For most jobs, no official certificate is required: the employer must train you in occupational safety (Law 31/1995, Article 19). Some sectors ask for specific training before hiring: food, warehouses and construction.

What level of Spanish do I need to work in Spain?

No law sets one for most jobs. As a rough guide: warehouse, farm and cleaning jobs often A2; hospitality, shops and care B1; office, phone and health B2 or more. Check yours with a free level test.

Are LaborIA's courses in English?

Yes: food handler, allergens, forklift theory, manual handling, cleaning, occupational safety, first aid and construction theory, each with a free test and PDF certificate. The certificate in Spanish, and the optional verifiable one with a code (4,99 €), come from the Spanish version of each course.

Is a training certificate the same as a work permit?

No. Training certificates show what you have studied; the right to work in Spain depends on your nationality and your residence and work authorisation.

Are LaborIA's certificates official?

No. They are free-format training certificates issued by LaborIA. They are not qualifications, no public body has approved them, and they do not replace the training your employer must give you.

Sources

Written and maintained by Eric Rodríguez. LaborIA is a Spanish website about work in Spain; it is not a public body. Summaries of Spanish law are for guidance: the source texts above prevail. How we work (in Spanish).