Spain: the digital nomad permit will need EUR 3,001 a month from 2027

In brief

• Draft 2027 minimum wage (SMI): EUR 1,286 a month over 14 payments a year, up from EUR 1,221, a 5.3% rise.
• For the digital nomad permit the main applicant must show at least 200% of the minimum wage. The threshold would rise from EUR 2,849 to EUR 3,001 a month.
• The first family member adds 75% of the minimum wage and each further one 25%. A family of three would need EUR 4,501 a month, or EUR 227 more than today.
• Consultation runs until 16 November. The government could approve the decree as early as 17 November, before the 29 November general election.
• This is a draft. Applications filed in 2026 are assessed against the current amounts.

What the Ministry of Labour proposes

Spain's interprofessional minimum wage (SMI) is reviewed every year, usually approved in January or February. This time the Ministry of Labour is in a hurry: a general election is set for 29 November 2026, and a new government is unlikely to be formed by January. So the draft decree was published in November and could be approved on 17 November.

The ministry proposes raising the minimum wage by 5.3%, from EUR 1,221 to EUR 1,286 a month. That is the amount over 14 payments a year: in Spain salaries are usually paid 12 times plus two double payments, in summer and before Christmas. For immigration thresholds the annual sum is divided over 12 months.

That is why today's nomad threshold is EUR 2,849 even though the minimum wage is EUR 1,221. The annual EUR 17,094 is divided by 12 and doubled. Under the new decree the annual sum becomes EUR 18,004, the monthly EUR 1,500.33, and the main applicant's threshold EUR 3,000.67, or EUR 3,001 rounded.

What this means for you. If you are preparing a Spanish nomad permit and will apply after 1 January 2027, plan for income of at least EUR 3,001 a month for one person. If you apply in 2026, the EUR 2,849 threshold applies.

What a family needs

The requirement rises for families too. The first family member, usually a spouse, adds 75% of the minimum wage to the main applicant's income, and each further member 25%. Under the draft the amounts would be:

The 2027 amounts are calculated from the draft decree and rounded up. The difference looks small: EUR 152 a month for one applicant and EUR 227 for a family of three. But the threshold is checked strictly: if recent income falls even slightly short, the permit is refused. For those close to the line, the increase could close the door, so it is worth checking your figures against the new table now rather than in January.

Income is proven with documents showing work for a foreign employer or foreign clients: a contract, an employer letter and recent bank statements. The amount is gross, before tax. Requirements and documents are covered on our Spanish digital nomad permit page and in the guide.

Where income proof usually goes wrong

The threshold is not the only income requirement, and refusals more often concern how income is proven than the amount itself. Reviewers check these points most closely:

• Gross, not net. The threshold is compared with income before tax, but bank statements show what was received. You need both the contract and proof of gross pay.
• Currency. Income in dollars or other currencies is converted into euros. Exchange rate swings can push income below the threshold, so keep a margin.
• Spanish clients. A freelancer may earn no more than 20% of income from Spanish clients. The rest must come from abroad.
• Length of relationship. The employer or main client must have operated for at least a year, and the relationship must have lasted at least three months before filing.
• Qualifications. A university degree or at least three years of professional experience is required.

If any of these conditions is not met, high income will not help. That is why we check the whole file before filing, not just the amount, and flag any weak point while there is still time to fix it.

A family example

A software developer works for a US company and earns EUR 4,300 gross a month. He is moving with his wife and child. In 2026 a family of three needs EUR 4,274, and he qualifies with a small margin. In 2027 the draft requires EUR 4,501, and he does not. For this family the difference between filing in December and in January is the difference between a permit and a refusal.

The path to permanent status

If you apply from within Spain, the nomad permit is issued for three years and renewable for two more. After five years of lawful residence you can apply for long-term resident status, and after ten for citizenship, sooner for nationals of several Latin American countries. Each renewal checks income again, so the higher threshold affects not only new applicants but also those renewing after 2027.

Apply in 2026 or wait

For those near the threshold, the filing date decides. The draft takes effect only once approved, and as a general rule an application is assessed against the amounts in force on the filing date. If your income is between EUR 2,849 and EUR 3,001 a month, it is better to apply before the end of 2026 while the old amount applies.

There are two ways to apply: through a Spanish consulate in your country, or while legally in Spain, for example after visa-free entry. Gathering, translating and legalising documents takes several weeks, so start now. In December many consulates and offices work reduced hours because of the holidays.

If you cannot apply by year end, raise your provable income in advance: revise the contract with your employer or clients, or combine income from several contracts if the programme allows. Reviewers notice a one-off increase just before filing, so a stable payment history matters.

Taxes for nomads

The income threshold is not the only figure to calculate. A nomad permit usually makes a person a Spanish tax resident if they spend more than 183 days a year there. Holders of this permit may opt into the special regime for incoming workers: a flat 24% on income up to EUR 600,000 a year for up to six years instead of progressive rates. More in our article on taxes for digital nomads and our comparison of nomad tax residency across countries.

How to count days and what the centre of vital interests means is explained in our article on the 183-day rule. Check these rules before applying, because a change of tax residence also changes taxes in the country you are leaving.

Why the threshold will keep rising

Spain's minimum wage has risen significantly in recent years, and the nomad threshold rises with it automatically. That is a feature of the programme: the amount does not need a separate decision, it follows the minimum wage each year. So anyone planning a move in a year or two should budget for further increases rather than today's figure.

For comparison, Portugal's D8 threshold is also linked to the local minimum wage and rises with it, while Greece sets its nomad threshold as a fixed amount that changes only by separate decision. So when choosing a country, look not only at today's amount but at how it is revised. Spain's programme remains one of the most popular in the EU thanks to clear rules and a path to permanent status, but on income it is no longer the most accessible.

Other programmes in Spain and nearby

The new threshold affects only the digital nomad permit, which is tied to the minimum wage. Non-lucrative residence for financially independent people uses a different index, IPREM, so the draft does not change it. That permit is described in the guide. For those considering the regions, Extremadura offers remote workers up to EUR 10,000.

If the Spanish threshold is too high for you, compare it with neighbours: Portugal's D8 visa, Greece's nomad visa, Italy's and Croatia's. Each has its own income threshold, taxes and path to permanent status. All options are collected in our section on residence for remote workers.

What comes next

Public consultation runs until 16 November. Unions and employers may propose changes, but minimum wage rises in Spain have almost always been approved in recent years. If the government approves the decree on 17 November, the new amounts will apply from 1 January 2027. We will check the final text and update the table if the amounts change.

We are also watching the 29 November election. A new government could revisit immigration programmes, including the nomad permit. There are no such proposals yet, but anyone planning a move would be wise not to postpone filing indefinitely.

What to do now

Our team prepares documents for Spanish programmes and supports filing. Background is on the Spain page, and for movers interested in housing, see our report on record foreign home buying. We will review your situation in an online consultation.