Employment Offer Letter Spain (Carta de Oferta de Empleo)

An Employment Offer Letter Spain (Carta de Oferta de Empleo) is a formal pre-contractual written document through which a Spanish employer (empresario) extends a conditional offer of employment to a candidate (candidato), setting out the proposed terms of the employment relationship before the formal Contrato de Trabajo is executed. In Spain, the Employment Offer Letter is governed primarily by the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (Real Decreto Legislativo 2/2015, de 23 de octubre — ET), specifically Article 8, which requires that the principal terms of employment be communicated to the employee in writing, and by the general principles of contract formation under Articles 1254 through 1262 of the Código Civil.

Under Spanish contract law, an employment offer (oferta de empleo) constitutes a genuine legal offer (oferta contractual) under Article 1262 CC — once accepted by the candidate, it creates binding pre-contractual obligations between the parties. The Tribunal Supremo (Sala de lo Social) has held that a written and accepted employment offer letter, while not itself an employment contract, establishes mutual obligations and may give rise to liability in damages under Article 1902 CC (culpa in contrahendo — pre-contractual liability) if the employer unjustifiably withdraws the offer after acceptance.

The Directiva (UE) 2019/1152 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 20 de junio de 2019, relativa a unas condiciones laborales transparentes y previsibles en la Unión Europea (Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive), transposed into Spanish law by Real Decreto-Ley 32/2021, de 28 de diciembre, reinforces the obligation to provide workers with written information on the essential terms of the employment relationship within the first 7 calendar days of employment commencement, pursuant to Article 8.5 ET as amended. The Employment Offer Letter, when accepted and followed by the formal Contrato de Trabajo, assists employers in complying with this obligation.

The Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE) administers the Spanish public employment service and coordinates job offers (ofertas de empleo) registered through the Sistema de Información de los Servicios Públicos de Empleo (SISPE) — employers making formal offers through the SEPE electronic platform must comply with non-discrimination requirements under Ley Orgánica 3/2007, de 22 de marzo, para la Igualdad Efectiva de Mujeres y Hombres (LOI), Article 22, which prohibits discriminatory selection criteria based on sex, origin, religion, or other protected characteristics.

Spain's data protection framework — the Reglamento General de Protección de Datos (RGPD — Reglamento (UE) 2016/679) and the Ley Orgánica 3/2018 (LOPDGDD) — applies to the processing of candidates' personal data during the recruitment process. The Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD) has issued guidance (Guía de protección de datos en las relaciones laborales) clarifying that employers may process candidate data on the basis of pre-contractual measures under Article 6.1(b) RGPD. The Employment Offer Letter should include a brief data protection notice.

For foreign nationals seeking employment in Spain, the Employment Offer Letter is a key supporting document for applications for a work and residence permit (autorización de trabajo y residencia) under Ley Orgánica 4/2000, de 11 de enero, de Derechos y Libertades de los Extranjeros en España (LOEX), processed through the Subdelegación del Gobierno or Delegación del Gobierno. Real Decreto 557/2011 (Reglamento de Extranjería) specifies the documentary requirements for work permit applications, and a signed Employment Offer Letter demonstrating the job offer is a mandatory exhibit in most categories.

The Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (ITSS), governed by Ley 23/2015, de 21 de julio, Ordenadora del Sistema de Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social, oversees compliance with employment law, including the requirement that employment terms be communicated in writing. The ITSS has authority to inspect employer records and issue sanctions under the Real Decreto Legislativo 5/2000 (LISOS) for failure to provide written information on employment terms.

An Employment Offer Letter Spain is needed whenever a Spanish employer wishes to formally communicate an employment offer to a selected candidate before the formal Contrato de Trabajo is signed, creating a clear and documented pre-contractual record of the agreed terms.

The letter is required when hiring a candidate who has been selected through a recruitment process — internal promotion, external recruitment through a headhunter (empresa de selección de personal), or direct application — and the employer wants to confirm the offer in writing before arranging the formal contract signature.

An Employment Offer Letter is needed when a candidate's acceptance of the employment offer is conditional on a specific start date, relocation, or obtaining a work permit — the letter establishes the employer's commitment to the position while allowing the candidate time to fulfil the conditions.

The letter is required when hiring a foreign national who requires a work permit (autorización de trabajo) under Ley Orgánica 4/2000 (LOEX) — the Employment Offer Letter is a mandatory supporting document for the work permit application submitted to the Subdelegación del Gobierno.

An Employment Offer Letter is needed when a candidate is currently employed by another company and needs to provide their current employer with notice of resignation — the written offer from the new employer provides certainty that the position is confirmed before the candidate gives notice.

The letter is required when the employer wishes to set a deadline for the candidate to accept or decline the offer, particularly where the position has been offered simultaneously to multiple candidates or where recruitment timelines are tight.

An Employment Offer Letter is needed when hiring senior executives (altos directivos) under the Real Decreto 1382/1985 governing special high-directorship employment relationships — the offer letter sets out the specific remuneration, incentive structure, and notice periods that apply to this special category of employment.

Parties in Spain should prepare a Employment Offer Letter Spain (Carta de Oferta de Empleo) proactively rather than waiting for a dispute to arise. Courts interpret agreements based on the written terms rather than oral representations. Under the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (ET) RDL 2/2015, Spanish employment law governs contracts, dismissals, and working conditions. The Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) administers social security contributions. The Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE) manages unemployment benefits. The Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social enforces labour compliance. The Juzgados de lo Social hear employment disputes under the Ley Reguladora de la Jurisdicción Social (Ley 36/2011). Where the transaction involves regulated activities, prior approval from the relevant authority may be required before execution.

A complete Employment Offer Letter Spain under the Estatuto de los Trabajadores and applicable Spanish employment law must contain the following essential elements.

Employer Identification: Full legal name, NIF/CIF, registered address (domicilio social), and Registro Mercantil details of the offering company. The name and title of the signatory (administrador, apoderado, or director de recursos humanos) and the legal basis for their authority to make the offer must be included.

Candidate Identification: Full name, DNI/NIE/passport number, and address of the candidate. Where the offer is conditional on obtaining a work permit, the passport number and nationality should be included as the permit application reference.

Job Position: The specific job title (puesto de trabajo) and professional group (grupo profesional) under Article 22 ET and the applicable sector convenio colectivo. A brief description of the principal duties and responsibilities of the role should be included.

Work Location: The primary work location (centro de trabajo) address. If the position involves remote working, this should be noted with reference to Ley 10/2021 de Trabajo a Distancia, which requires a separate written remote work agreement (acuerdo de trabajo a distancia).

Proposed Start Date: The date on which employment is intended to commence, which may be conditional on acceptance by a specified deadline, work permit issuance, or other conditions precedent.

Salary and Benefits: The proposed gross annual salary (salario bruto anual) in euros, broken into base salary (salario base) and any supplements (complementos). The letter should confirm that the salary equals or exceeds the applicable convenio colectivo minimum salary table (tabla salarial) and the national salario mínimo interprofesional (SMI) set by Royal Decree. Any additional benefits — annual bonus, company car, private health insurance (seguro médico privado), meal vouchers (tickets restaurante), or pension contributions — should be specified.

Working Hours: The proposed weekly hours (jornada semanal) and work schedule, confirming compliance with the 40-hour maximum under Article 34 ET. For part-time positions, the precise hours and distribution must be stated in accordance with Article 12 ET.

Probationary Period: The proposed probationary period (período de prueba) under Article 14 ET — up to 6 months for qualified technicians, up to 2 months for other workers, or 3 months for companies with fewer than 25 employees. Both parties should understand that during the probationary period either party may terminate freely.

Applicable Collective Agreement: Identification of the sector convenio colectivo that will govern the employment relationship, confirmed by reference to the company's CNAE activity classification.

Acceptance Deadline: A clear deadline by which the candidate must accept or decline the offer in writing. The offer should specify that failure to respond by the deadline will be treated as a declination.

Data Protection Notice: A GDPR-compliant notice under Reglamento (UE) 2016/679 and Ley Orgánica 3/2018 (LOPDGDD), informing the candidate that their personal data are being processed for the purposes of the recruitment and pre-employment process, on the legal basis of pre-contractual measures (Article 6.1(b) RGPD), and that the data will be retained for the duration of the recruitment process and for 1 year thereafter in accordance with AEPD guidelines.

Forms-legal.com provides this Employment Offer Letter Spain template as a starting point for Spanish employers. The formal Contrato de Trabajo executed after acceptance should be reviewed by an abogado laboralista or gestor laboral to confirm compliance with the applicable convenio colectivo and autonomous community employment legislation.

Under the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (ET) RDL 2/2015, Spanish employment law governs contracts, dismissals, and working conditions. The Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) administers social security contributions. The Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE) manages unemployment benefits. The Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social enforces labour compliance. The Juzgados de lo Social hear employment disputes under the Ley Reguladora de la Jurisdicción Social (Ley 36/2011).