Trade careers in Spanje
Compare every trade we cover side by side — licensing time, typical journeyman pay, and which sectors face the tightest labour market in Spanje (2026).
The trades-market picture in Spanje
Spain's trades are driven by two structural tailwinds: the RD 244/2019 self-consumption boom (residential photovoltaic installs grew 6× from 2020 to 2024) and the RD 477/2021 heat-pump rebate programme. FP Grado Medio is free in public schools and takes 2 years; carnets like REBT (electrical) and RITE-IT (heating/cooling) are issued by each autonomous community's Consejería de Industria. The tarifa plana autónomo (€87/month flat Social Security in year 1) makes solo work accessible.
Hot specialisations in Spanje (2026)
- Electricians specialising in photovoltaic install (RD 244/2019 self-consumption boom, INE shortage list)
- HVAC technicians with RITE-IT + F-Gas Cat. I (RD 477/2021 heat-pump rebates)
- Plumbers in coastal regions (tourism + second-home market)
- Pool & spa technicians (Mediterranean coast premium)
Every trade we cover, ranked for Spanje
Ordered by labour-market outlook (highest growth first). Click any row for the full guide including pathway, tools, and country-specific licensing checklist.
- Salary
- €24,000–€42,000
- To license
- 2-4 years
- Salary
- €26,000–€44,000
- To license
- 2-4 years
- Salary
- €26,000–€42,000
- To license
- 2-4 years FP + REBT + 2-4 weeks KNX Basic/Advanced
- Salary
- €22,000–€36,000
- To license
- 2-4 years
- Salary
- €17,000–€28,000
- To license
- 1-3 months for the fitosanitario course; 2 years if pursuing FP
- Salary
- €15,000–€24,000
- To license
- 1 week (no certifications) to 3 months (with Certificado de Profesionalidad)
- Salary
- €18,000–€30,000
- To license
- 1-2 months (mainly PRL course + autónomo paperwork)
- Salary
- €22,000–€36,000
- To license
- 2-4 months (Curso + exam + company setup)
- Salary
- €20,000–€32,000
- To license
- 3-6 months for safety courses + TPC; 2 years if pursuing the FP route
- Salary
- €21,000–€34,000
- To license
- 2-3 years (FP route) or 6-12 months for entry through a workshop apprenticeship
- Salary
- €18,000–€30,000
- To license
- 1-3 months for safety courses + autónomo registration; FP optional but speeds first-year wages
- Salary
- €16,000–€26,000
- To license
- 3-6 months (Capacitación study + exam + paperwork)
- Salary
- €18,000–€30,000
- To license
- 2-6 months (Carné course + ROESB registration)
- Salary
- €20,000–€32,000
- To license
- 2 years FP (recommended) + 2-6 weeks per brand for SAT certification
- Salary
- €22,000–€36,000
- To license
- 2-4 years FP + 3-6 months safety courses; 5-10 years to head independent projects
- Salary
- €22,000–€34,000
- To license
- 2 years FP + 3-6 months for safety + TPC; quicker via the apprenticeship route
Salary calculator
Estimate what you'd earn with your specific trade, region, experience level, and any regulated specialty certs.
Estimated pay
€28,500–€49,500/ year
Country base × region 1.18 × experience 1.00 × specialty 1.00 = total 1.18× the country journeyman range.
Estimate only. Real pay depends on employer, hours, and local market. Multipliers calibrated from BLS / GUS / CBS / INE 2024 — see methodology on the salary comparison page.
Working in the trades in Spanje
What's the fastest trade to enter in Spanje?
House cleaning, handyman work, and landscaping have the lowest entry barriers — no licensing in most regions, you can start in a matter of weeks. Painting and movers follow. For licensed trades, the fastest path is typically smart-home installation, which doesn't require national licensing in any of our four countries.Which trade pays the most in Spanje?
Electricians and HVAC technicians consistently top the salary table in all four countries. In Spanje, top-paying journeyman ranges hit the upper bound of the table below; master-level pros and business owners typically clear the upper bound by 30–60%. Specialisations (REBT Especialista in Spain, NEN 3140 in the Netherlands, F-Gas Cat. I across the EU) add another 15–25%.What's the cheapest way to start a trade career in Spanje?
FP Grado Medio in a centro público is free (or €200–€400/year in concertado) and takes 2 years. After completion you apply for the REBT (electrical), RITE-IT (HVAC), or relevant carnet at your Consejería de Industria — €50–€300 in fees. The tarifa plana autónomo (€87/month flat Social Security in year 1) makes solo work accessible right after.
Compare the same trades in other countries
Find an apprenticeship
Real programs with paid training and licensing pathways — official government portals and the unions / vocational schools that actually place people.
- TodoFP — Buscador de FP (Ministerio de Educación)Official portal
Spanish Ministry of Education's official FP (Formación Profesional) finder — Grado Medio and Grado Superior across every trade family, filterable by Comunidad Autónoma.
Open
- Carné REBT (autonómico)Official portal
Reglamento Electrotécnico de Baja Tensión — REBT Categoría Básica and Especialista carnets issued by each Comunidad Autónoma's Consejería de Industria.
Open
- RITE-IT — Carné de instalador térmicoOfficial portal
Reglamento de Instalaciones Térmicas en los Edificios — RITE-IT carnet (heating, cooling, hot water) issued by autonomous communities. Mandatory for heat-pump installers.
Open
- FP Catalunya — Estudiar a CatalunyaOfficial portal
Barcelona · cataluna
Generalitat de Catalunya's FP portal — every public Grado Medio and Superior centre in Catalonia with Dual-FP (BBL-equivalent) tracks.
Open
- IES Virgen de la Paloma — FP IndustrialVocational school
Madrid · madrid
Madrid's flagship public FP centre for industrial trades — strong electrical, plumbing, climatización, and home-automation programs with employer partnerships.
Open
- Tarifa plana autónomo (Seguridad Social)Industry association
€87/month flat Social Security rate for newly self-employed tradespeople in their first year — the practical bridge after FP for those going solo.
Open
Listings are curated by the HireLocal editorial team — opening a program takes you to the program's own site. We don't take a cut on placements.
Find the hottest cities
Salary tables show the country average. The demand finder breaks each trade's opportunity down to the city level — useful for picking where to set up shop in Spanje.
Open demand finderCross-country salary table
See how each trade's pay stacks up across the US, Poland, the Netherlands, and Spain side by side.
Open salary comparisonSources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2024 · GUS Wynagrodzenia w gospodarce narodowej 2024 · CBS Lonen per beroep 2024 · INE Encuesta Anual de Estructura Salarial 2024 · Eurostat labour-market indicators 2025. Last reviewed: May 2026 · Edited by HireLocal Editorial.