Spain Digital Nomad Visa for Canadians — Check Your Eligibility | Mecan Legal

Keep your Canadian job. Live in Spain.

Spain's Digital Nomad Visa lets you work remotely for your Canadian employer or clients while living in Spain. Answer seven quick questions and a Spanish immigration lawyer will tell you if you qualify — and which route is faster for you.

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A law firm, not an agency — regulated, professionally insured, bound by attorney–client privilege

Apply from Spain — Canadians can enter visa-free and file for a residence permit of up to 3 years, with no consulate appointment

Or from Canada — we prepare your file to the checklist of Toronto, Montreal or Ottawa

Free Eligibility Check

~60 seconds

Question 1 of 7

What passport will you apply with?

Question 2 of 7

How do you earn your income?

Question 3 of 7

How long have you worked with that employer or those clients?

Spain requires the working relationship to be at least 3 months old when you apply.

Question 4 of 7

Which of these do you have?

Question 5 of 7

Who is moving with you?

Question 6 of 7

What is your gross monthly income from that remote work?

Question 7 of 7

When would you like to move?

Thank you — we have your answers.

A lawyer will review them and reply within one business day.

Confidential · Reviewed by a lawyer · No spam, ever

★★★★★ 5.0 · 70+ Google reviews

Regulated Spanish Law Firm Founded by Juan Diego Muñoz Espada English-speaking lawyers

Two ways to apply

Route 1

Visa at a Spanish consulate in Canada

You apply before you move, in Toronto, Montreal or Ottawa depending on where you live
Appointment requested by email; in-person filing or through a representative
Visa valid for up to 1 year, then renewed from Spain

Best if you want everything approved before you leave Canada.

Route 2

Residence permit filed from Spain

Canadians can enter Spain visa-free for up to 90 days
While there legally, we file your application online with Spain's Large Companies Unit (UGE) — no consulate queue
Permit of up to 3 years, with a 20-working-day statutory decision period

Best if you can spend a few weeks in Spain while we file.

Sources: Embassy of Spain in Ottawa and Consulates General of Spain in Toronto and Montreal. Requirements are set by Spanish law and can change; we confirm your route in the free assessment.

Requirements in 2026

€2,849minimum gross monthly income, single applicant

3 monthsminimum working relationship with your employer or clients

Up to 3 yearsresidence permit when you apply from Spain

Your work

You work remotely for a company, or for clients, based outside Spain
The working relationship is at least 3 months old when you apply
The company you work for has been operating for at least a year
Freelancers can bill up to 20% of their work to Spanish clients

Your profile

A university or college degree, or 3+ years of experience in your field
RCMP fingerprint-based criminal record check, apostilled by Global Affairs Canada
Health insurance valid in Spain
Income that meets the threshold for your household (table below)

Household	Minimum gross income per month (2026)	≈ CAD

Figures in euros, based on 200% of Spain's minimum wage (SMI) for the main applicant, 75% for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. The CAD figure is approximate and moves with the exchange rate. We confirm your exact figure in the free assessment.

Built for Canadians

Most Digital Nomad Visa guides are written for Americans and Brits. These are the three things that change when you apply from Canada.

RCMP check & apostille

Spain only accepts the RCMP fingerprint-based certificate, apostilled by Global Affairs Canada and translated by a sworn translator. The apostille alone can take weeks, so we plan it first.

Stay in the CPP

Under the Canada–Spain Social Security Agreement, eligible workers can keep contributing in Canada with a certificate of coverage (form CPT125) instead of joining Spanish Social Security. We check whether it applies to you.

Tax, before you move

Moving your life to Spain usually makes you a Spanish tax resident. Qualifying remote workers may opt into Spain's special regime for new residents (Beckham Law). We assess it as part of your case.

Your lawyer

Juan Diego Muñoz Espada

Founder, Mecan Legal · Spanish lawyer

After leading the Spain practice at top-tier international firms, Juan Diego saw the same problem again and again: clients lost in bureaucracy and pushed into standard packages designed for volume, not quality. He founded Mecan Legal to combine big-firm expertise with a boutique model that puts time, clarity and personal attention first.

A lawyer reviews your case from the first call
Advice in English, from Marbella, for clients all over Spain
Immigration, tax and company law under one roof

How it works

Preparation usually depends on how fast your RCMP check and apostille arrive. Once filed, the authority sets its own timeline.

Eligibility check

Your details, reviewed by a lawyer. Then a short call: go / no-go and the best route for you.

Document strategy

Remote-work letter, company certificate, RCMP check, apostilles, translations, insurance — checked line by line.

Filing

At your consulate in Canada, or online with the UGE once you're in Spain.

Approval & residence card

We assist with your residence card, your family's applications and renewals.

Digital Nomad Visa or Non-Lucrative Visa?

The question is simple: will you keep working? We handle both visas, so we'll point you to the right one.

	Digital Nomad Visa	Non-Lucrative Visa
Who it's for	Remote employees, freelancers and business owners working for clients outside Spain	Retirees and people living on savings, pensions or investments
Can you work?	Yes, remotely	No
Minimum income, single applicant (2026)	€2,849 / month	€2,400 / month
Where you apply	Consulate in Canada, or from Spain	Consulate in Canada only
First permit	1-year visa, or up to 3 years if filed from Spain	1 year, then renewed for 2

Only want a few months a year? Canadians can usually visit Spain for up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa.

Retired or living on savings? The Digital Nomad Visa isn't the right fit, but there is another option for you.

A fixed fee, agreed before we start

After your eligibility call you receive a written quote for your whole family's application. You know exactly what the legal work costs before you commit.

Government fees, apostilles, sworn translations and health insurance are paid separately.

Included in our fee

Eligibility assessment and choice of route (Canada or Spain)
Personalised document checklist, including RCMP check and apostille
Review of every document before filing
Preparation and filing of your application
Follow-up with the authorities until a decision
Support with your residence card and town hall registration
Applications for your spouse and children

What our clients say

Our reviews are public on Google. Read them before you decide.

5.0

★★★★★

70+ reviews
Google Business Profile

"Their expertise was invaluable in helping me obtain my Spanish visa. Communication throughout was clear, responsive and reassuring. I recommend them without reservation."

Ben Chell · Google review · Visa application

"We had a very complex visa application… we were guided successfully and were able to get our visas approved in three weeks. JD was always available, every step of the way."

Charles Norman Mason · Google review · Visa application

"Everything was handled with clarity, efficiency and great attention to detail… We wholeheartedly recommend their services to anyone relocating to Spain."

Andrew Groves · Google review · Visa + company formation

Individual experiences; timelines depend on each authority and each file.

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep working for my Canadian employer?

Yes — that is the point of this visa. Your employer keeps paying you from Canada and does not need a Spanish entity. They must confirm in writing that you can work remotely, and the company must have been operating for at least a year.

Should I apply from Canada or from Spain?

Both work. Applying at your consulate in Canada gets you a visa of up to 1 year before you move. As a Canadian you can also enter Spain visa-free and, while there legally, file for a residence permit of up to 3 years with no consulate appointment. Which is better depends on your dates, your family and your documents — we tell you in the first call.

How much do I need to earn?

Which criminal record check do I need?

The RCMP certified criminal record check based on fingerprints, apostilled by Global Affairs Canada and translated into Spanish by a sworn translator. Consulates ask for your record in every country you've lived in recently. We plan this first because it's usually the slowest document.

Do I have to pay into Spanish Social Security?

Not necessarily. Canada and Spain have a Social Security Agreement: in eligible cases you can keep contributing to the CPP with a certificate of coverage (form CPT125) issued by the Canada Revenue Agency. If it doesn't apply to you, you register in Spain. We check your case.

Will I pay tax in Spain?

If Spain becomes your home, you'll generally become a Spanish tax resident. Qualifying new residents may opt into the special regime known as the Beckham Law. Leaving Canada also has Canadian tax consequences that your Canadian accountant should review. We coordinate the Spanish side before you move — not after.

Can my family come?

Yes — your spouse or partner, dependent children and dependent parents can apply with you. The income requirement rises with each family member (see the table above).

What are my chances of approval?

It depends on your documents, and nobody honest can promise an outcome. What we do: we only file when the file meets every requirement, and if something is missing, we tell you exactly what before you spend money on filing.

Check if you qualify

If you qualify, you can book a call with a lawyer right away — in your morning, our afternoon.

Check My Eligibility — Free

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