The income that non-EU remote workers must show to qualify for Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa is likely to go up in 2027, because it is tied to the national minimum wage. According to The Local Spain, the unions and the labour minister are pushing for a minimum wage rise before the general election on 29 November. That rise would lift the visa threshold.
What happened
The Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) is handled by the UGE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos, the government unit for large companies and strategic groups). The UGE requires applicants to prove monthly earnings of at least 200 percent of the SMI (salario mínimo interprofesional, Spain’s national minimum wage). The Local Spain reports that this link has pushed the visa’s financial requirement up every year since the visa was introduced in 2023. In 2026 the threshold is €2,849 gross per month.
The minimum wage currently stands at €1,221 per month, paid in 14 instalments. Most workers in Spain receive 14 pay cheques a year rather than 12. Spain’s two main trade unions, CCOO and UGT, have called for a rise to about €1,307 per month across 14 payments. That would be an increase of seven percent, or €86 a month, and would bring gross annual pay to €18,298.
Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said that “it is important that the minimum wage remains in line with the evolution of the average salary”. He added that the government is “awaiting the recommendation of the committee of experts”. The Local Spain reports that Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz wants the increase approved before the general election, which the polls suggest the right-wing bloc of the PP and Vox will win.
The SMI is set by Real Decreto (Royal Decree) in the Cabinet, so it does not need to go through parliament. This means the current left-wing government could approve a rise without support from other parties.
What it means for you
This affects non-EU digital nomads and remote workers who plan to apply for the DNV in 2027. The rule is national, not regional. The Local Spain sets out two possible outcomes:
- If the unions’ proposal is approved: a minimum wage of €1,307 across 14 payments works out at €1,524.83 a month over 12 months. Applicants would then need to show €3,049.66 gross per month, which is €200.66 more than the current threshold.
- If the rise is around five percent: most Spanish news outlets see this as the most likely scenario, because it follows the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The minimum wage would be €1,495.73 a month across 12 payments. The DNV threshold would be €2,991.45 gross per month, or €35,897.28 gross per year, which is €142.44 a month more than now.
Neither figure has been confirmed. The Local Spain stresses that the higher number is only what the unions and the labour minister are asking for. Minimum wage rises usually take effect at the start of the following year. However, the publication notes that the new threshold could apply even before 2027 if the rise is approved before the election.
If you are preparing an application, check whether your income clears the higher scenarios, not just the 2026 figure. Also check the threshold that applies on the date you submit.
What to watch next
The first thing to watch is whether the Cabinet approves a new SMI before 29 November, and at what level. The government is also waiting for the recommendation of its committee of experts.
If the decision falls to a new government, The Local Spain reports that PP leader Núñez Feijóo has not committed to raising the minimum wage at the same rate as the current Socialist-led coalition. He has said, though, that he favours “raising the average wage and for that to happen the minimum wage has to be raised”.
The PP has also said it wants to cut the number of tax returns self-employed workers file from four a year to two or even one. It has proposed eliminating social security payments for new self-employed workers in their first year. That proposal could matter to DNV holders, because those who are not employed remote workers must register as autónomos (self-employed). The PP’s deputy secretary-general, Juan Bravo, said recently that “by 2040 there will be one billion digital nomads worldwide and 8.1 percent (81 million people) would choose our country”.
Source: The Local Spain
Sources
- The Local Spain: How much will I need to earn to apply for Spain's Digital Nomad Visa in 2027?, accessed 4 November 2026
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