Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 6:03pm
Do you need jobs financially, or is it a case of not feeling 'old enough' to retire fully? What kind of jobs would you be looking for?
The reason I ask is that your chances are probably very slim, unless you have a very specialist skill that's in demand and/or you have a contact that can get you a job. I don't want to paint a totally bleak picture, but just trying to be realistic...
Unemployment in Spain was about 16% pre-Covid (compared to 4% in the UK) and has recovered to an extent from a peak of around 30% in 2014. However, this varies greatly by region and work type. I think it's realistic to expect this to get worse with the impact from furlough stopping and businesses going bust due to the impact of Covid.
Salaries / wages in Spain are around 2/3 of those in the UK and the national minimum wage is €7.04 ph (UK national minimum wage for over 25s is £8.72, which is €9.59).
If you don't speak Spanish, then it's hard to get a job anywhere if you don't speak the language of your employer and your customers.
Most casual jobs & part-time jobs are in the hospitality sector, which is as badly impacted by Covid as the UK, if not worse, as many areas rely heavily on tourists for trade. There's also a feeling of 'looking after our own' - employ a fellow spaniard before anyone else; and very much to help friends & relatives (and relatives of friends) that need a job.
If you have practical skills - decorator, plumber, hairdresser, carer, then you may get occasional work by word of mouth as there is a big expat population in Murcia / Alicante who like to have work done by fellow Brits. However, there are also a number of people who have good reputations in these areas already, so it may take some time to build a reputation and potential client base.
Alternatively, if you don't need the money, then just enjoy your retirement or try and find a charity that would welcome free help...