Lost Job on Work Visa

Spanish labor law provides strong employee protections with mandatory severance and unemployment benefits. When dismissed, you receive a carta de despido (dismissal letter) stating the reason and effective date - never sign without understanding it. The employer provides a finiquito (final settlement document) itemizing severance (indemnización), unused vacation days, pending salary, and proportional extra pays. Within 15 days, register as a job seeker with SEPE (Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal) to claim unemployment benefits, requiring at least 12 months of Social Security contributions in the last 6 years. Unemployment pays 70% of your regulatory base for the first 6 months, then 50%, with durations from 4 months (1 year contributions) to 24 months (6+ years). Dismissal types affect severance: objective dismissal (despido objetivo) for economic or organizational reasons pays 20 days per year worked with 12-month maximum; unfair dismissal (despido improcedente) pays 33 days per year with 24-month maximum; disciplinary dismissal (despido disciplinario) pays nothing if valid but converts to unfair if unjustified. Challenge a dismissal by filing a papeleta de conciliación at SMAC (mandatory mediation) within 20 working days, then labor court (Juzgado de lo Social) if no agreement. Most cases settle before or during court proceedings.