Arraigo sociolaboral (social-labour roots) is the work-based route to regularize your status in Spain: you have lived here for two years, you have a genuine job offer, and you convert an irregular stay into a residence-and-work authorization. It is one of the five arraigo routes under the 2024 reform, and it replaced the old “arraigo laboral.” This page explains, in plain English, who qualifies, the exact contract and employer rules that decide most cases, the documents, the process, and what comes after.
The legal basis is article 127.b of Real Decreto 1155/2024 (with the general arraigo rules in articles 124–127 and 130–132) and Instruction SEM 1/2025, in force since 20 May 2025.
What it is, and what makes it different
Arraigo sociolaboral is a residence authorization for exceptional circumstances, for non-EU nationals who have spent two years in Spain in an irregular situation and can present an eligible employment contract (or a coherent set of contracts). The defining feature is right there in the name: it is built on employed work. The whole case turns on the contract and the employer — not on integration reports or family ties — which is what separates it from the other routes.
One clarification that saves a lot of confusion: this route replaced what used to be called “arraigo laboral” (which was historically built on proving past irregular work and was very hard to use in practice). Arraigo sociolaboral instead looks forward — to a real, future job offer that meets clear conditions.
Who qualifies
You need to meet the general arraigo conditions plus the contract requirement specific to this route:
- Two years of continuous residence in Spain immediately before applying, with absences within 90 days. Time spent as a pending international protection applicant generally does not count until there is a final resolution.
- Present in Spain and not a pending international protection applicant when you file or while the case is processed.
- No criminal record in Spain or in the countries where you lived in the last five years, no entry ban, and no active non-return commitment.
- A qualifying employment contract (or sum of contracts) that meets the conditions below — this is the heart of the route.
- Fee paid (model 790, code 052).
Note there is no integration report here, and no means threshold beyond the contract itself — the contract is what proves you can support yourself.
The contract rules (this is what decides your case)
Under Instruction SEM 1/2025, the contract — or the sum of contracts — must meet three conditions:
- Duration over 90 days.
- At least 20 hours per week in total working time.
- Salary of at least the minimum wage (SMI) or the applicable collective agreement (convenio), proportional to the hours worked.
Indefinite, temporary, fixed-term, and substitution contracts can all be acceptable, as long as they meet those thresholds and are coherent with the employer’s real activity. What Extranjería is really checking is whether the job is credible and enforceable: a contract with the right hours but an unrealistic salary, or one that does not match what the employer actually does, will trigger doubts and a request for more evidence.
Employed work only — no self-employment
This is important and often misunderstood: arraigo sociolaboral is only for employed work. Self-employment (autónomo) is not accepted on this route. If your plan is to work for yourself or start a business, this is not your path — arraigo social is the route that allows a self-employment basis. Choosing correctly at the start avoids a guaranteed refusal.
Part-time and multiple employers
You do not need a single full-time contract. Part-time works when the total hours reach the 20-hour threshold and the salary meets the proportionality rule. Multiple contracts can be combined in certain cases — for example, consecutive seasonal contracts, or part-time contracts with different employers — as long as together they satisfy the duration, hours, and salary conditions. The skill is building a coherent contract pack, not stacking unrelated contracts that do not add up.
The employer side (where many cases fail)
The employer matters as much as the contract. Employers must meet the requirements of article 74 of the regulation: they must be up to date with tax and Social Security obligations and have sufficient means to fulfil the contract. Even a contract with perfect hours and salary can be refused if the employer’s documentation is weak — for instance, a newly created business that cannot show capacity to sustain the hiring. A strong file includes evidence of the employer’s compliance, real activity, and ability to maintain the job.
Documents
- Form EX-10, completed and signed.
- Full copy of a valid passport.
- Proof of two years’ continuous residence: historical padrón, reinforced with dated evidence (medical records, invoices, money transfers, official communications) to cover any gaps.
- Criminal record certificate from the relevant countries, apostilled or legalised and sworn-translated, within validity windows.
- The contract pack: the signed contract(s) meeting the hours, salary, and duration rules.
- The employer pack: documentation of the employer’s identity, activity, and compliance with tax and Social Security obligations.
- Proof of the 790-052 fee.
Proving the two years is often the weakest part of a file. The strongest evidence is consistent across time and sources — padrón history that lines up with medical, banking, school, and official records — rather than isolated documents that are easy to challenge.
How to apply, and how long it takes
- Confirm the route and the contract. Check that your two-year residence is provable and that the contract pack and employer meet the conditions — this is the step that prevents a wasted filing.
- Build the file: identity, the residence timeline, criminal record, and the contract and employer packs.
- File it at the Immigration Office for your province, or online through the Mercurio platform with a digital certificate or representative, and pay the 790-052 fee.
- Respond to any subsanación (request for more documents) — commonly on residence continuity, employer solvency, or contract terms — promptly and completely.
- After a favourable decision, register with Social Security and complete the TIE process (fingerprints, EX-17, fee, photos).
The resolution deadline is three months; with no reply, the application is understood as rejected by administrative silence. If refused, you can file an administrative appeal within one month or a judicial appeal within two months. A well-prepared file moves faster than one that triggers a subsanación, and missing a deadline to respond to a request can cause a refusal even when you otherwise qualify.
After approval, renewal, and the longer term
Once granted, the authorization lasts one year and lets you work under the contract presented. After a favourable decision you register with Social Security and obtain your TIE. The authorization is renewable (article 132), and the usual goal is to modify into an ordinary residence-and-work authorization, which consolidates a stable status and moves you toward long-term residence. Keeping your employment and Social Security records consistent is what makes that next step straightforward.
How it compares to the other arraigo routes
If you have your two years in Spain, the route depends on what you can prove today: a job offer points to arraigo sociolaboral; integration or family ties (and the option of self-employment) point to arraigo social; enrolment in training points to arraigo socioformativo (which lets you work up to 30 hours while you study); and having lost a recent permit points to arraigo de segunda oportunidad. If your tie is to an EU citizen, it is arraigo familiar. For the full picture, see our main guide to arraigo in Spain. The single biggest mistake is filing under the wrong route, so confirming the fit first is the whole game.
How we help
On this route the decisive work is the contract and the employer. Lexmovea confirms your eligibility and that your contract pack genuinely meets the hours, salary, and duration rules; tells the employer exactly what to provide so the solvency side does not collapse under scrutiny; builds and strengthens your two-year residence evidence; prepares the criminal record with the apostille and sworn-translation steps; files online or in person; handles any subsanación; and plans the post-approval Social Security, TIE, and later the modification to a stable permit. We work in English throughout.
If you have a job offer in Spain and two years here, contact Lexmovea — we’ll confirm whether your contract qualifies and map the exact plan for a strong application.
Frequently asked questions
What is arraigo sociolaboral?
It is the work-based arraigo route: a residence-and-work authorization for non-EU nationals with two years’ residence in Spain who present a qualifying employment contract. It replaced the old “arraigo laboral” and is built on a real, future job offer rather than past work.
How long do I need to have lived in Spain?
Two years of continuous residence immediately before applying, with absences within 90 days. Time as a pending international protection applicant generally does not count until there is a final resolution.
What contract do I need?
A contract, or sum of contracts, lasting more than 90 days, totalling at least 20 hours a week, at a salary of at least the SMI or the applicable collective agreement, proportional to the hours. Indefinite, temporary, fixed-term, and substitution contracts can qualify if they meet these conditions.
Can I apply with self-employment?
No. Arraigo sociolaboral is for employed work only. If you want to work for yourself or start a business, arraigo social is the route that allows a self-employment basis.
Can I use part-time or multiple contracts?
Yes, if the total hours reach 20 a week and the salary meets the proportionality rule. Consecutive seasonal contracts, or part-time contracts with different employers, can be combined as long as together they meet the duration, hours, and salary conditions and each employer meets the compliance requirements.
What does the employer need to provide?
The employer must meet article 74 requirements: be up to date with tax and Social Security obligations and have sufficient means to fulfil the contract. Weak employer documentation is one of the most common reasons for delay or refusal, even when the contract itself is fine.
What documents are required?
The EX-10 form, passport, proof of two years’ continuous residence, a criminal record certificate prepared for Spain, the signed contract(s), and the employer’s compliance documentation, plus the 790-052 fee. Foreign documents usually need apostille or legalisation and a sworn translation.
How long does it take, and can I work while it’s pending?
The resolution deadline is three months, with administrative silence meaning rejection. Generally you wait for the authorization to be granted before working under this route; after approval you register with Social Security, obtain your TIE, and begin under the contract submitted.
How is it different from arraigo social?
Arraigo sociolaboral is contract-based and employed-only. Arraigo social rests on a favourable integration report or family ties plus means, requires no work contract, and does allow a self-employment basis. Both need two years’ residence; the right one depends on what you can prove today.