Lorraine Williamson
For anyone working, living, or setting up as self-employed in Spain, the vida laboral is one of those documents you may not think about until somebody suddenly asks for it.
It is not glamorous. It is not complicated. But it can be extremely useful.
Your informe de vida laboral is the official record of your working life as registered with Spain’s Social Security system. It shows when you have been registered for work, when you were removed from the system, which Social Security regime applied, and how many days you have contributed. The document can now be checked and downloaded online through the official Import@ss portal run by Spain’s Seguridad Social.
For foreign residents in Spain, autónomos, employees, jobseekers and anyone trying to prove their work history, it is worth knowing how to get it before you urgently need it.
What is the vida laboral?
The vida laboral is an official employment history report issued by Spain’s Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social.
It records your periods of registration with Social Security. In practical terms, it shows the times you have been officially working in Spain — either as an employee, self-employed person, domestic worker, artist, agricultural worker, or under another Social Security regime.
The official Seguridad Social service allows you to view your periods of alta and baja across different regimes, download a full or filtered PDF report, and request corrections if you spot errors.
In simple terms, it is your Spanish work record.
Why might you need it?
Your vida laboral is often requested when you need to prove your employment or contribution history in Spain. You may need it when:
- Applying for certain jobs
- Checking whether an employer has registered you correctly
- Applying for benefits or dealing with pension matters
- Dealing with certain administrative procedures
- Proving your employment record to a gestor, lawyer, employer or public body
It is also useful if you are self-employed. Autónomos can use it to check whether their registration dates are correct and whether their Social Security record reflects their real activity. For people who have worked in Spain for many years, it is a helpful way to spot gaps, mistakes, missing contribution periods or old employers you may have forgotten.
What information does it show?
A vida laboral report normally includes your personal details and a full breakdown of your working history. This can include the company or activity, the Social Security regime, the start and end date, the type of contract or contribution group where relevant, and the total number of days registered.
It is important to understand that this is not the same as a payslip, tax return or employment contract. It does not prove everything about your earnings or job conditions. It proves what Social Security has recorded about your employment or self-employment status.
How to get your vida laboral online
The easiest route is through Import@ss, the online portal of Spain’s Social Security Treasury. The portal allows users to access employment records, Social Security numbers, certificates and other reports. It also covers services for autónomos, domestic employment, payments, debts and personal details.
To get your vida laboral online:
- Go to the official Seguridad Social Import@ss service for Informe de tu vida laboral
- Choose the option to request or consult the report
- Identify yourself using one of the accepted methods
- Download the report as a PDF
The report can usually be downloaded immediately once your identity has been verified.
Ways to identify yourself
There are several ways to access the report. You can use a digital certificate, DNI electrónico, Cl@ve, or SMS verification. Seguridad Social confirms that the vida laboral can be obtained using an electronic certificate, Cl@ve or SMS.
For many foreign residents, the SMS route is often the simplest — but it only works if your mobile number is already registered correctly with the Seguridad Social.
How to get it by SMS
The SMS option sends a one-time security code to your mobile phone. To use this method, your phone number must already be registered with the Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social.
You will normally need your DNI or NIE, date of birth, Social Security number, and the mobile phone linked to your record. Once the code arrives, you enter it online and download the report.
What if your phone number is not registered?
This is where many people get stuck. If Seguridad Social does not have your current mobile number, the SMS route may not work. You may need to update your contact details first.
Seguridad Social says people who have not yet communicated their phone number can do so through Import@ss if they have Cl@ve or a digital certificate. The change can also be made through the electronic headquarters service for communicating or changing phone and email details.
If you do not have digital access, you may need to arrange help through a gestor or contact Seguridad Social directly.
Can you receive it at home?
Yes. Seguridad Social also offers a service to receive the vida laboral report by post to the address registered with the Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social. The postal request asks for personal details, address information and an email contact. This can be useful for people who cannot access the online system, although it is slower than downloading the PDF.
The online version is usually the more practical option.
What if the information is wrong?
Do not ignore mistakes. If your vida laboral shows missing periods, incorrect dates, or an employer you do not recognise, it is worth investigating. The official Seguridad Social service includes the option to request the incorporation or modification of data if errors are detected.
This matters because Social Security records can affect benefit rights, employment proof and future pension calculations. If you believe an employer failed to register you correctly, professional advice from a gestor, labour lawyer, or Seguridad Social office is the right first step.
Why foreign residents should check it
For international residents in Spain, the vida laboral gives a clear view of your official work history in the country. It can confirm whether a job was properly registered, whether autónomo registration started and ended on the right dates, and help people who have moved between employee work, self-employment and periods out of work.
This is especially important in Spain, where many administrative procedures depend on what is officially recorded rather than what someone remembers or believes happened.
Is it the same as your Social Security number?
No. Your Número de la Seguridad Social identifies you within the Social Security system. Your vida laboral is the record of your work and contribution periods. Import@ss allows users to consult both, but they are different documents.
If you are new to Spain and have never worked here, you may have a Social Security number but little or no vida laboral history.
Is it only for employees?
No. The vida laboral also covers self-employed workers registered as autónomos, as well as people in other Social Security regimes — including domestic workers and those with mixed working histories. If you have ever been officially registered with Spanish Social Security, your record should appear.
How often should you check it?
You do not need to check it every week. But it is sensible to review it when starting or leaving a job, registering or deregistering as autónomo, applying for benefits, preparing for retirement, or dealing with immigration, residency or legal paperwork where employment history may be relevant.
Downloading a copy before any major administrative process lets you spot problems early.
Practical tip: do it before you need it
“The best time to check your vida laboral is before it becomes urgent. Make sure your mobile number and email are up to date with Seguridad Social. Set up Cl@ve if you can. Keep a downloaded PDF copy somewhere safe.”
Spain’s digital administration has improved considerably in recent years, but access often depends on having the correct identification method ready. A ten-minute check now can save a stressful scramble later.