I am a recent college graduate from the USA and have a MEC scholarship to go to Spain for a year.... I'm also a licensed Spanish teacher in the USA. This year with the MEC scholarship will actually be the third time I've been in Spain and I really love it there. I'm not 100% sure yet, but I've been toying with the idea of using my time abroad with the MEC scholarship to look for a more permanent job in Spain and then maybe trying to go through the red tape to be able to get a work permit in order to be able to stay in Spain once the scholarship has ended...
Here's the thing.... I'm thinking I can use my time in Spain under the scholarship to do some of the "legwork".... For instance, I could probably use my time to see how hard it would be for me to get a more permanent job and to maybe start the work visa process if I happen to be lucky enough to find something more permanent. The thing is I'd really like to be able to sit down with a good lawyer who knows extranjería laws so that I can see exactly what my options are. I don´t know whether, in my specific case, it would be easier for me to try finding work at a language school or for me to try and get a work permit to start my own translation/language teaching service. I also have the chance to do a Masters Program in Spain and don't know if I should wait till I complete that before I start this work stuff... I really just need to talk to someone who can advise me of my options. Maybe I should keep my student visa, do the Masters Program, and try to get an authorization to work while doing the Master.... there are a lot of options for me and I don't know which would be the best one.
Anyway, my question is this: would an immigration lawyer be able to advise me on these issues and if so, what's the best way to find a good extranjería lawyer in Spain and what does one typically cost? I really need someone to sorta explain my "options" to me and, if I do end up deciding to stay in Spain, to maybe help me with some of the paperwork and bureaucracy.....
I don't really care if the lawyer speaks English or not... I have a pretty high level of Spanish. Where should I start to find someone and what should I expect to pay?
Thanks in advance for your help!
