Spain’s Ministry of Labour confirmed late on 29 January that the Salario Mínimo Interprofesional (SMI) will rise by 3.1 % to €1,221 in 14 payments from 1 January 2026, after securing a deal with trade-union confederations CCOO and UGT. While framed domestically as a cost-of-living measure, the increase has immediate knock-on effects for global-mobility programmes: many immigration thresholds are pegged to multiples of the SMI.(vozpopuli.com)
Most notably, Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) requires applicants to earn at least 200 % of the monthly SMI. Because the immigration ministry converts the 14-pay figure to a 12-pay equivalent for foreigners, the new floor works out at roughly €2,852 per month (up from €2,763 in 2025). Families face steeper hurdles too: a spouse must show an additional 75 % of SMI (€2,139 annually in 12 payments) and each child 25 %.
![Spain’s 3.1 % minimum-wage hike pushes Digital Nomad Visa income test above €2,850 a month]()
Remote-work consultancies report that nearly a quarter of pending DNV files will need salary top-ups or proof of additional savings to meet the new bar. HR teams sending assignees under the “international teleworker” category—particularly junior software developers or start-up founders taking lower cash compensation—should revisit assignment budgets quickly. Gross-up allowances or one-off retention bonuses may be cheaper than re-advertising critical roles.
The SMI hike also affects EU Blue Card salary thresholds (set at 1.5 × the national average) and intra-company transfer permits for trainees (linked to 1 × SMI). Payroll providers must update monthly withholding calculations no later than the February run to avoid under-payment penalties.
Employers have a brief grace period: consulates will accept 2025 income proofs for DNV applications lodged before 28 February, after which the higher threshold becomes mandatory. Global-mobility managers should alert candidates in the pipeline and, where possible, file before that date.
Most notably, Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) requires applicants to earn at least 200 % of the monthly SMI. Because the immigration ministry converts the 14-pay figure to a 12-pay equivalent for foreigners, the new floor works out at roughly €2,852 per month (up from €2,763 in 2025). Families face steeper hurdles too: a spouse must show an additional 75 % of SMI (€2,139 annually in 12 payments) and each child 25 %.
Remote-work consultancies report that nearly a quarter of pending DNV files will need salary top-ups or proof of additional savings to meet the new bar. HR teams sending assignees under the “international teleworker” category—particularly junior software developers or start-up founders taking lower cash compensation—should revisit assignment budgets quickly. Gross-up allowances or one-off retention bonuses may be cheaper than re-advertising critical roles.
The SMI hike also affects EU Blue Card salary thresholds (set at 1.5 × the national average) and intra-company transfer permits for trainees (linked to 1 × SMI). Payroll providers must update monthly withholding calculations no later than the February run to avoid under-payment penalties.
Employers have a brief grace period: consulates will accept 2025 income proofs for DNV applications lodged before 28 February, after which the higher threshold becomes mandatory. Global-mobility managers should alert candidates in the pipeline and, where possible, file before that date.
Source: Vozpópuli
