A lot of people might think they can just move to Spain and find a job quickly and easily. That is not necessarily the case though, as Spain is struggling with record rates of unemployment.

At 19% out of work in the fourth quarter of 2009 Europe`s fifth largest economy is still in deep recession. The average unemployment rate for the Eurozone is around 10%. While many countries in Europe came out of recession in the 4th quarter of last year Spain failed to do so.

The National Statistics Institute reported there were 4.3 million people out of work in Spain at the end of December, which is up 1.12 million more than one year year earlier.

For expats who move to Spain the advice is to be self-sufficient without the need to have to find work, or to have a definite job offer for when they arrive. If the Spanish can`t get jobs there is even less likelihood foreigners will be able to.

For more on employment in Spain