Unemployment Benefit in Spain: Who Qualifies, How Much, How Long
The paro is calculated from your last six months of contributions and lasts up to two years. Here is how it works for residents in Catalonia.
Spain’s contributory unemployment benefit (prestación por desempleo, often called el paro) requires at least 360 days of contributions in the last six years and a job lost through no choice of your own. It pays 70% of your contribution base for the first 180 days and 60% after that, for 120 to 720 days. As of November 2026 the monthly amount runs from €560 to €1,575.
Who can claim unemployment benefit?
You need to meet four conditions:
- Be in a legal situation of unemployment (situación legal de desempleo): for example dismissal, the end of a temporary contract or a suspension or reduction of working hours by the employer. Leaving a job voluntarily does not count.
- Have at least 360 days of contributions for unemployment in the six years before losing the job.
- Be registered as a job seeker and sign the commitment to look for work and accept suitable offers.
- Apply within 15 working days of losing the job, or of the end of any paid holiday still owed to you.
Foreign residents can claim under the same rules. The State Public Employment Service (SEPE) asks EU citizens for their passport or national ID plus the EU registration certificate showing the NIE, family members of EU citizens for their residence card, and non-EU nationals for their TIE card. Contributions are linked to your Social Security number, explained in our guide to getting a Social Security number.
How long is the benefit paid?
The duration depends on the days you contributed in the six years before becoming unemployed, according to SEPE’s information sheet:
| Days contributed | Days of benefit |
|---|---|
| 360 to 539 | 120 |
| 540 to 719 | 180 |
| 720 to 899 | 240 |
| 900 to 1,079 | 300 |
| 1,080 to 1,259 | 360 |
| 1,260 to 1,439 | 420 |
| 1,440 to 1,619 | 480 |
| 1,620 to 1,799 | 540 |
| 1,800 to 1,979 | 600 |
| 1,980 to 2,159 | 660 |
| 2,160 or more | 720 |
Contributions already used for an earlier benefit do not count again.
How much will you receive?
SEPE first works out your daily base reguladora: the contribution bases of your last 180 days of work divided by 180. You then receive 70% of that base for the first 180 days of benefit and 60% from day 181. Monthly limits apply, as of November 2026:
| Dependent children | Minimum per month | Maximum per month |
|---|---|---|
| None | €560 | €1,225 |
| One | €749 | €1,400 |
| Two or more | €749 | €1,575 |
These limits are tied to the IPREM index, which is €600 a month as of November 2026. If you lost a part-time job, the limits are reduced in proportion to your hours. Income tax and your share of Social Security contributions are deducted from each payment, and SEPE pays Social Security contributions for you while the benefit lasts.
What changed with the 2024 subsidy reform?
People who do not qualify for the contributory benefit, or who have used it up, may get the assistance-level subsidio por desempleo, which also requires a lack of other income. Real Decreto-ley 2/2024 reformed it with effect from 1 November 2024. As of November 2026, SEPE lists these monthly amounts:
- days 1 to 180: 95% of the IPREM, €570
- days 181 to 360: 90% of the IPREM, €540
- from day 361: 80% of the IPREM, €480
- subsidy for people over 52: €480 for the whole period
The reform also allows a subsidy to be combined with a new job for a limited time through the complemento de apoyo al empleo (employment support supplement), so taking work does not always mean losing the whole payment.
How do you apply in Barcelona?
- Register as a job seeker (demandant d’ocupació) with the SOC, Catalonia’s public employment service, at your local Oficina de Treball or through its online services.
- Check that your employer has sent the company certificate (certificado de empresa) for your last 180 days to SEPE. If not, ask for a copy.
- Apply to SEPE within 15 working days, online with Cl@ve or a digital certificate, or with an appointment at a SEPE office.
- Provide your ID document, the details of a bank account in your name and, if you have children, the documents proving it.
- If you challenged your dismissal, add the conciliation record or court ruling when you have it.
Our guide to dismissal and severance in Spain covers the deadlines for contesting a dismissal, which run in parallel with this application.
Bottom line
Register with the SOC and file the SEPE application in the first days after your contract ends rather than waiting for your final payslip, because the 15-working-day window is short. Think twice before resigning to change jobs: a voluntary resignation is not a legal situation of unemployment, so it normally means no benefit if the next job falls through.
FAQ
Can EU citizens claim unemployment benefit in Spain?
Yes, on the same terms as Spanish workers, if they meet the contribution and registration conditions. SEPE asks for a passport or national ID card and the EU registration certificate with the NIE.
Is unemployment benefit taxed?
Yes. The benefit is income for tax purposes, and SEPE can withhold income tax from each payment. It is declared on the annual tax return.
What if I worked part-time?
The benefit is calculated from the contribution bases you actually paid, and the minimum and maximum amounts are reduced in proportion to the hours you worked in the last 180 days.
Can I get benefit if I have fewer than 360 days of contributions?
Not the contributory benefit. You may qualify for the assistance subsidy if you meet its income test and other conditions, which SEPE checks case by case.
