Working in Valencia: the city, the coast and what to know first

According to the official population figures for 1 January 2025, Valencia is Spain's third-largest city. Its region, the Comunitat Valenciana, stretches along a long coastline through the provinces of Castellón, Valencia and Alicante – including the Costa Blanca around Alicante and Benidorm. Job seekers here can choose between two very different markets: a big city and a holiday coast.

City and coast

Valencia city hires all year round – offices, retail, healthcare, logistics, hospitality. On the coast, tourism sets the pace – and not only in summer: in December 2025 the Valencia region was Spain's third destination for international tourists after the Canary Islands and Catalonia, with 13.3% (INE, FRONTUR). Resorts such as Benidorm have guests, and need staff, in winter too.

Seasonal jobs on the coast often use the fijo discontinuo, an open-ended contract with breaks. Ask at the interview whether the job is year-round or when the season ends.

Valencian

Spanish and Valencian are both official languages in the region (article 3 of the Constitution and the Statute of Autonomy). Forms come in both, and Spanish is enough for all official business. Whether an employer expects Valencian will be in the listing; if it says nothing, ask.

The offices

1. 01Padrón: registration on your municipality's population register – with the Ajuntament de València in the city, or with the town hall where you live on the coast.
2. 02Registration and NIE: EU citizens staying longer than three months register within three months of arrival with the immigration office or police in their province.
3. 03SIP card: the region's health card. You need to be on the padrón of a municipality in the Comunitat Valenciana and have entitlement recognised by the INSS, which your employer's registration gives you. Apply in person at the SIP desks in health centres and hospitals, or online with a digital certificate or Cl@ve.
4. 04LABORA: the regional employment service. This is where you register as a job seeker – needed for unemployment benefit and many courses; you can book the first appointment online, through the app or at the office kiosks.

Hospitality collective agreements

Hospitality in the region has no single collective agreement; each province has its own – Valencia and Alicante each have theirs. Pay by category, allowances and annual hours therefore differ between Valencia and Benidorm. Your contract must name the applicable agreement; the text is in the national REGCON register.