Hospitality

Chef / cook jobs in Europe

Q: Can I work as a chef / cook in Spain?

Moderate demand in Spain. Tourism and hospitality sustain demand, especially seasonally and in coastal/island regions; hired via the general regime. Typical route: Employer-sponsored authorisation (general regime).

Q: Can I work as a chef / cook in Germany?

Moderate demand in Germany. Restaurant and hotel kitchens report steady demand; hired via the general skilled route. Typical route: Employer-sponsored Skilled Worker route.

Chefs and cooks see steady demand in Europe's tourism-heavy economies, with Spain's hospitality sector and Germany's restaurants both hiring. It is not a regulated profession, so the usual route is employer sponsorship; Spain's seasonal tourism can create province-level demand.

Occupation

Chef / cook · ISCO-08 512 — Cooks

Regulated?

No — no licence required to practise

Qualification

Culinary training or demonstrable professional experience; a specialism (pastry, specific cuisine) helps.

Recognition

Not a regulated profession — no licence required. Experience and references carry the weight.

Language

Basic Spanish or German for kitchen and service coordination.

Experience

1–3 years; head-chef or specialist experience strengthens sponsorship.

Typical salary

Indicative only: varies widely by country, establishment and role. Verify per offer.

By country

Spain

Moderate demand

Tourism and hospitality sustain demand, especially seasonally and in coastal/island regions; hired via the general regime.

Typical work-permit route

Employer-sponsored authorisation (general regime)

Official shortage status

Not catalogue-listed for most provinces — Some hospitality roles can appear provincially on catalogues, but cooks are generally not nationally listed; verify your province.

Study in Spain Work in Europe Shortage occupations

Germany

Moderate demand

Restaurant and hotel kitchens report steady demand; hired via the general skilled route.

Typical work-permit route

Employer-sponsored Skilled Worker route

Official shortage status

Not catalogue-listed for most provinces — Not consistently classified as a shortage; verify current status.

Study in Germany Work in Europe Shortage occupations

This is general information to help you get your bearings, not legal advice. Immigration rules, salary thresholds and shortage lists change often and every case is different, so for accurate details built around your situation, talk to a Visagrad specialist.

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Chef / cook jobs in Europe

By country

Spain

Germany

The route exists. The hard part is being the one who actually walks it.

Is this your route?Let's check, honestly.

Is this your route?
Let's check, honestly.