This page does not tell you how many euros you should be paid — that figure changes every year and we do not print a number of our own. It tells you where the figure is published, how to read your nómina, and what to do when you are not paid.
Where your pay is written down
Salario Mínimo Interprofesional (SMI)
Spain’s minimum wage is called the Salario Mínimo Interprofesional (SMI). The government sets it each year by Real Decreto, published in the state gazette, the BOE. [VERIFY] — we are not printing the current figure; search the BOE for “salario mínimo interprofesional” and read the most recent Real Decreto. The SMI is normally given both per month and per year, and it is for full-time work — part-time work is paid pro rata.
Reading your nómina
Every month you should get a document called a nómina. It is not just a receipt — it is proof that you worked and what you were owed. Keep them. A photo or a PDF counts if you get nothing on paper.
| Devengos / Total devengado | Gross pay, before deductions. |
|---|---|
| Salario base | Base salary, before any extras. |
| Horas extraordinarias | Overtime. If you worked extra and this line is empty, ask why. |
| Deducciones — Contingencias comunes | Your share of social security. |
| IRPF | Income tax withheld in advance. |
| Líquido a percibir | The net amount. This is the number that should reach your account. |
If the hours on the nómina and the hours you actually worked are different, that matters. Keep your own daily record of when you started and finished — a plain notebook turns out to be the strongest evidence later.
If you are not paid
You can claim unpaid wages even without papers. In Spain an employment relationship is recognised even where the worker has no permit — work done is wages owed. [VERIFY] — confirm the principle and the procedure with a union or a workers’ advice centre in your city; we print no time limit and no figure here. In practice the route usually starts with a written claim (a papeleta de conciliación), and the unions do this for free.
Where to get free help
- CCOO — Comisiones Obreras — A large trade union. Many cities have a migrant workers' office and the advice is free.
- UGT — Unión General de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores — The other large union. Free advice in the same way.
- Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social — [VERIFY] — we could not open the inspectorate's own site from our server, so the link above is the central government portal. A complaint can be made anonymously.
Severe exploitation and forced labour
Spain has a dedicated state line for severe exploitation, forced labour and trafficking. [VERIFY] — we are not printing its number because we could not confirm it. In an emergency, call 112.
Common mistakes
- Not asking for the nómina. It is the first thing you will be asked for if you ever claim.
- Deleting the WhatsApp messages. Conversations about hours, place and money are evidence in themselves — keep them.
- Assuming that no papers means no rights. Work done is still owed.
- Not getting the pay and the hours in writing before day one. A WhatsApp message counts as writing.
Next step
If the problem is papers rather than pay, start by checking that whoever is advising you is actually on a register.
Spain: check your adviser before you paySources
Where you see [VERIFY] we have deliberately printed no figure or condition, because we could not confirm it against an official source. Check that point yourself on the official page below.
- BOE — Boletín Oficial del Estado
- CCOO — Comisiones Obreras
- UGT — Unión General de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores
- Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social
Last verified: 2026-09-04
