Regardless of where you live on this orb purposefully
floating around the endless universe, there is one constant truth: you may not
want to do it, you may dream of a better one or you may be struggling to find
one. Yes, a job. Love does not pay the bills (sorry Jackie Moon) and España is
no different.
When I returned to my country of birth, the Ontario
government made me jump through several loops it terms of acquiring a driver’s
license (which I understand, since I had never driven before) and public health
coverage. Ontario still has primarily a social health system funded by
taxpayers. In order for those public doors to “free healthcare” swing open for
you, you need to prove something like 6 months residency. Until then, don’t get
injured or sick. It’s expensive!
My roommate in Barcelona had advised me that before heading
out to look for work and to open a bank account in Barcelona, I would need a
NIE (Foreigner Identification Number). This identification number is pretty
much necessary to be a regular citizen in Spain. I would need to head out of my
home to line-up at 6:00 AM at the entrance of the Extranjería building as they only let people in before noon.
The United Kingdom is probably the master of queuing, but
Canada is not far from matching the production of excessive and pointless
paperwork. Getting people to line-up is a skill we Canadians have that cannot
be matched even by the most populated countries in the globe. From coffee at
Tim Horton’s to the Dollar Store, we do it. I was definitely ready to wait
although I was not excited to do so.
Surprisingly enough, if you are early enough, the NIE
process can take less than a whole day. Get ready to line-up for 2 hours before
the office even opens its doors as many people are on the same boat, looking to
be able to start making the big bucks. Should you require more on this process,
this article may be helpful.
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