Spain’s largest unions, UGT and CCOO, have called on the government to raise the Salario Mínimo Interprofesional (SMI) by 7.5 % to €1,273 per month (14 payments) for 2026. Because the country’s Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) requires applicants to show monthly earnings of at least 200 % of the SMI, the proposal would push the proof-of-income bar from roughly €2,763 to about €2,970.
For multinational companies hiring remote staff into Spain—or relocating existing employees who want to work from Spanish territory—this seemingly domestic wage debate has immediate mobility implications. HR teams may need to renegotiate salary packages or top-up allowances so that non-EU assignees remain eligible for the visa.
![Planned 7.5 % minimum-wage rise would lift Digital Nomad Visa income threshold to nearly €3,000 a month]()
Immigration advisers also warn that accompanying-family thresholds would climb in parallel: 75 % extra for the first dependent and 25 % for each additional dependent. A family of four could therefore have to document more than €5,200 in monthly income.
While business groups broadly support a higher minimum wage, they have asked the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration to decouple the DNV formula from the SMI and switch to a fixed euro figure, arguing that constant changes add administrative burden and deter talent.
The government says it will open consultations in December, but for now companies planning 2026 assignments should budget for the higher figures and start gathering updated payslips and bank statements well ahead of filing.
For multinational companies hiring remote staff into Spain—or relocating existing employees who want to work from Spanish territory—this seemingly domestic wage debate has immediate mobility implications. HR teams may need to renegotiate salary packages or top-up allowances so that non-EU assignees remain eligible for the visa.
Immigration advisers also warn that accompanying-family thresholds would climb in parallel: 75 % extra for the first dependent and 25 % for each additional dependent. A family of four could therefore have to document more than €5,200 in monthly income.
While business groups broadly support a higher minimum wage, they have asked the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration to decouple the DNV formula from the SMI and switch to a fixed euro figure, arguing that constant changes add administrative burden and deter talent.
The government says it will open consultations in December, but for now companies planning 2026 assignments should budget for the higher figures and start gathering updated payslips and bank statements well ahead of filing.
