Many dream about starting a new life in the sun on an island like Lanzarote. But what is the reality really like? We take a look at some of the potential pitfalls in the area of employment.
Finding work on Lanzarote can be difficult. Depending on what you are prepared to do for a living.
Sure, it is relatively easy to find bar, shop or restaurant work. And this is often the first port of call for non-Spanish speakers.
The downside though is often that terms and conditions can be far from ideal.
For starters, wages on Lanzarote are low — especially when compared to the type of money you can expect to take home in the UK.
Many people look at the lower cost of living on an island like Lanzarote but forget to factor in that wages are commensurate. For example, most employees in these sectors earn no more than 1,500 euros a month, albeit after tax, which roughly equates to around 1,100 pounds.
With an average monthly rental running at anywhere from 600 euros upwards this can create a scenario where you end up with next to no disposable income.
Now that’s fine if you are happy ‘just getting by’. And many are. But if you need to build savings or provide for your old age that can be more challenging. You certainly won’t be enjoying many luxuries or flitting back to the UK or Ireland whenever you fancy on this sort of money.
Many businesses also flout Spanish employment law. This is especially prevalent when it comes to giving legal contracts to workers. Many will offer no more than a limited part-time contract — even if you are working full time.
This enables employers to reduce their tax and social security payments — making you cheaper to employ.
However, this arrangement erodes employment rights. For example it ensures that you can only claim a minimal sum of money from the Spanish social security system should you find yourself unemployed.
Furthermore holidays become something of a grey area. More than a few employers operate year round businesses and therefore don’t recognize either Spanish or English bank holidays.
If you don’t like that arrangement these employers know that they will have a steady stream of willing applicants should you choose the exit door.
Fancy an office job? If you are from more of a white-collar background then you might find Lanzarote challenging. Most office jobs require a reasonable level of fluency in Spanish. More importantly for some might be the fact that the concept of building a career here rarely applies.
It is important to appreciate that Lanzarote has quite a small population — which is reflected in the fact that service industries such as say, marketing and IT remain relatively under developed. That being said Real Estate is a large employment sector, with some 150 Estate Agents operating on the island.
Physically finding a job can also be tough. There are no employment agencies as such and job vacancies, especially the better ones, are rarely widely advertised. So it can be tricky to know where to start your search. Word of mouth remains the main source of most opportunities.
Those that have succeeded here have usually had to be extremely flexible about the sort of work that they undertake. Many juggle a number of different jobs and other moneymaking schemes in order to get by.
Starting your own business? A trade will still stand you in good stead on Lanzarote but it is worth noting that the island is now far more competitive in this sector than, say five years ago.
Talk to many bar owners and you may also soon be tempted to shelve that idea of opening your own. The turnover rate on some of these premises is high. A common mistake of new arrivals is to misjudge the importance of location and the quantity of competition. A well thought through approach here is important. As is an appreciation of the importance of marketing.
All that being said, many people still come here and make a great success of it. We certainly wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
In the end, the proverb to be gleaned from this, if any, is make sure you look before you leap.
