All about Social Security in Spain for an Autonomo

If you currently live and work in Spain, you are working under one of these systems: either you are an employee (working for a company or an employer) or you are self-employed. Being self-employed implies having conditions that are somewhat different from those of other workers. Do you know what they are?

If your answer is no, you are in the right place. In this article, I want to explain what it means to be a self-employed worker in Spain (taxes, deadlines, coverage) and, no less importantly, I want to talk to you about the social security in Spain for an autónomo. This is usually one of the least understood topics among expats who arrive in the country, which is why I want to give you some guidance and also a bit of advice.

What does it mean to be a self-employed worker in Spain?

The first thing we need to be clear about is who falls into the category of self-employed worker. These are people who work independently, which is why we often say that they are “their own bosses.” They offer their services to individuals and companies under the conditions they consider appropriate. The advantages are clear: they choose their field of work, their ideal client, their rates, their schedules, and their vacations. In addition, they can create their own companies (known in Spain as PyMES – Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), through which they can carry out their activity and, in turn, employ other people.

But not everything is an advantage; there are also some downsides. A self-employed worker is directly responsible for their tax obligations (that is, filing their taxes) and for their contributions to Social Security. Self-employed workers can handle these procedures on their own or, alternatively, delegate these less pleasant tasks to an external advisor.

Why do you have to contribute to Social Security in Spain?

This point is especially important to us. Social Security contributions give every worker (whether self-employed or employed) access to a series of benefits such as retirement contributions (thinking a bit about the future), maternity or paternity leave, temporary disability leave (illness, surgical procedures, etc.), and what usually attracts the most attention: access to the public healthcare system. In other words, free healthcare assistance within Spanish territory.

This means that as a self-employed worker, by paying the so-called self-employed contributions every month, you have access to your family doctor at the health center closest to your home, care in Spanish hospitals, and, of course, emergency assistance in urgent cases.

What are the requirements to be considered self-employed in Spain?

To register as self-employed, there are a series of steps you must follow. Here is a brief summary:

First step: You must register with the Tax Office. In other words, you must register with the Spanish Tax Agency using form 036 or 037. It is very important to register before starting any professional activity in order to correctly declare your income and issue invoices.

Second step, almost simultaneous with the first: You must register with the RETA, which is the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers within the Social Security system.

You can complete both steps online, as it is not mandatory to visit the offices in person. If you already have a digital certificate, this can make the process easier.

Once you have completed these procedures, you will officially be registered as self-employed. Every quarter, you will have to file an income declaration (in which you will pay the corresponding taxes), and every month you will have to pay the self-employed contribution. Currently, this contribution is variable and linked to your real income. The minimum contributions currently range between €200 and €600.

In this way, you will be able to carry out your professional activity legally, while also being covered by Social Security in the event of any incident.

Insurance for self-employed workers

So far, we have reviewed the obligations (legal and tax-related) and the coverage provided to self-employed workers through Social Security. However, as you probably already know, difficulties always arise in the activity of a self-employed worker, and these can become real headaches when they are not properly covered. This is where insurance comes into play, and as expected, there are also insurance options for self-employed workers.

Choosing a health insurance policy will depend on the type of activity you carry out, as being a language teacher is not the same as being a mechanic or a dentist. That is why Caser offers a wide range of options so that, as a self-employed worker, you can carry out your activity with the confidence of feeling supported. On Caser’s Insurance page for Expats, you can see in detail Health Insurance for Self-Employed, a health insurance policy that you can enjoy on your own, with your family, or with your employees (if you have any). There are three different plans: Médica PRO, Integral PRO, and Prestigio PRO. The coverage includes family and pediatric medicine, specialist care, diagnostic tests, and much more.

Caser Expat Insurance policies, in addition to offering extensive medical coverage, provide tax benefits, discounts for family members, and other advantages specifically designed for independent workers like you. Caser has thought of different options so that you only have to focus on what matters most: your daily activity. If you’d like to see how this insurance would apply in your case, you can calculate an instant quote through this link.

Surely, after reading this article, you will have come to the conclusion that being self-employed in Spain means much more than being an independent worker. It is a different way of working, with its pros and cons. And most importantly, you now know how the social security in Spain for an autónomo works, so you can rest easy while carrying out your professional activity, protecting your loved ones in the best possible way. If you still have any questions, you know that you can always get in touch with us, and we will be happy to help you. Take care.