Spain: first day at work, documents, contract, payslip

Before signing

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Ask for the offer in writing: gross annual salary, number of payments, category, agreement, hours and workplace.
Work out how much will reach you each month: contributions and withholding come out of the contract’s gross.
The gross is what the contract says; less reaches your account. See the guide “From gross salary to net”.
Find out which collective agreement applies and read your category, hours and leave.
The agreement can improve on what the law sets. The Ministry of Labor has the register of agreements and a map to guide you.
Check the type of contract: permanent, temporary, discontinuous permanent, training or part-time.
If it is temporary, it is only valid for production circumstances or replacement, and the cause must be in the contract (Workers’ Statute, art. 15).
Read how long the probation period lasts.
Without an agreement, up to 6 months for qualified technicians and 2 for the rest (3 in firms with under 25 people); in temporary contracts of up to 6 months, 1 month (Workers’ Statute, art. 14).
If you are 16 or 17, look at the limits: you cannot work at night or do overtime.
Under 16 work is forbidden, and up to 18 some jobs are barred (Workers’ Statute, art. 6).

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Bring your valid DNI or NIE.
Bring your Social Security affiliation number.
If you do not have one, the company requests it when registering you (General Social Security Law, art. 139).
Bring the IBAN of an account in your name.
It is the account where you will be paid.
If you are not an EU citizen, bring the authorization that lets you live and work.
The company must apply for it with the contract, and without it you cannot work (Organic Law 4/2000, art. 36).
Bring the qualifications, certificates and cards the job asks for.
Fill in form 145 with your personal and family situation and hand it to the company.
It is used to calculate the IRPF withholding on your payslip. If your situation changes, report it again (Tax Agency).

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Ask for the contract in writing, even if it is permanent.
It can be made verbally, but either party can demand it be formalized in writing at any time (Workers’ Statute, art. 8).
If the relationship will last more than four weeks, check that you are informed in writing of the essentials.
The essential elements of the contract and the main conditions, if they are not already in the written contract (Workers’ Statute, art. 8.5).
Ask whether you have been registered with Social Security.
The company must request affiliation and report the registration; if it does not, you can request it yourself (General Social Security Law, art. 139).
Ask when you will do the occupational risk prevention training.
It is mandatory when you are hired, is given during working hours or counted as working time, and you do not pay for it (Law 31/1995, art. 19).
If your post requires it, have the medical check-up.
In general it is voluntary: it is only mandatory in the cases the law sets (Law 31/1995, art. 22).
Ask how your start and finish times are recorded.
The company must guarantee the daily record of working hours and keep it for four years (Workers’ Statute, art. 34.9).
Ask how to request leave, permits and sick leave.
Save the contacts of whoever handles staff and payslips.

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Check that you are given the pay slip every time you are paid.
The company must deliver an individual pay slip that justifies the payment (Workers’ Statute, art. 29).
Check the gross salary, the category and the days worked.
See whether the extra payments come separately or spread over twelve months.
You are entitled to two extra payments a year; the agreement can spread them (Workers’ Statute, art. 31).
Find your Social Security contributions: on a permanent contract, 6.50% of the base in 2026.
4.70% common contingencies, 1.55% unemployment, 0.10% vocational training and 0.15% MEI (Order PJC/297/2026).
Find the IRPF withholding and check that it matches your family situation.
The company calculates the percentage with the Tax Agency’s procedure, from your form 145. It is an advance of the tax.
See how many days of leave you have and when you can take them.
The law sets at least 30 calendar days a year; the agreement or the contract can improve on it (Workers’ Statute, art. 38).
Compare the net pay with the transfer that reaches you.

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After a few days, check in your work-life report that you are registered from day one.
The report is free and is downloaded with an electronic certificate, Cl@ve or SMS on Import@ss, the Social Security website and app.
The following year, request and keep the company’s withholding certificate.
Check the draft tax return on the Tax Agency website.
The tax return campaign usually runs from April to June: check the dates for the year you file.
If the pay does not arrive or add up, ask the personnel department; if that is not enough, your union or the Labor Inspectorate.
Anyone can file a complaint with the Labor and Social Security Inspectorate, in person or through the online portal.