This information is written from the personal point of view of the Webmaster. Remember on this page I only give advice and information from my own experiences. I worked in Ibiza in 2001 in Santa Eulalia working for the Entertainments Company, Laser.

First of all remember that Spain changed to the EURO currency this year.

I decided to go over to Ibiza with about £400 spending money in my account and with a cash card. When I went you could use the cash machines if you had a METRO or CIRRUS symbol on your debit or credit card. I booked a one-week stay in a hotel and flights through teletext and I think I got a good deal.

As I am a British Citizen I did not need any special paper work, as we are part of the European Union. All that was needed was a current passport. Especially people travelling who do not live in the European Union should check what paper work is needed before travelling. All people should check that their circumstances do not require any special arrangements. In the UK the Careers Advice Centres can give you this information, as well as much more relevant and helpful info. (Refer to our"paper work page")

I also made sure that I had a current curriculum vitae/resume with me, despite what some people seem to think, not every body likes people just to walk in off the street with no information, it impresses, makes it harder for them to forget you and gives them the information they need. Although I personally didn't use them, relevant references wouldn't be such a bad idea either. Try and present them neatly, stabled together. Take a copy of it on disk if you can, several of the internet cafes will print out documents for a small charge, go for black and white (Try E Station in San An).

Take your mobile phone, even if you can't use it. It will still be handy because the local Spanish networks are quite cheap. You can purchase a Sim Card for around 60 EUR (10,000 PTA) from MoviStar shops, which are dotted all over the place. Call your mobile phone manufacture (Nokia, Panasonic) to check that your mobile is able to accept new Sim Cards as several networks lock the phone when you buy it. If it is locked then once you have proven that the phone is yours (i.e. send a receipt) they can give you a code to unlock it. You can then give that number to employers for them to call you. When you run out of credit on your phone the service time carries on for -- updated -- 6 weeks.

Try to learn a-bit of Spanish, it will go a long way.

I personally arrived on the island on the 18th of April 2002 and stayed in the Hotel Florida in San Antonio. Because I am fortunate enough to have good contacts on the island (due to this site), I quickly realised that San An was not the side of the island to be on if you wanted to survive the full season, so I moved over to the other side of the island and into Santa Eulalia.

Santa Eulalia is the place on the island that I would recommend staying if you can find employment where you travel the island, like what I was doing. I would also recommend it, as well as Es Cana, and Cala Longa to people who wish to work in a slightly more mature and friendly atmosphere than San An and people arriving for the start of the season in mid May. Santa Eulalia is also home to this side of the islands biggest workers bar, the Queen Victoria (Santa Eulalia).

The Queen Victoria are what I would personally consider the physical version of the Balearic Jobs Community. If you hang around this bar long enough with the right attitude, you will get to know people and get to know the local English community. Go in, ask questions, talk to people, and offer to help people, be positive and enjoy this establishment. The Queen Vic offers a job and accommodation notice board as well, these are frequently updated by John (The Manager and good friend of BJ). Can't guarantee that everybody at these bars will know about us, but mention Balearic Jobs, tell them that you found this place through us and if its not to busy, ask if they have any "current" advice. One thing that people in any place in Ibiza do not like is a freeloader. Remember that these people are businessmen and women; you want help - don't just go in stand at the end of the bar and beckon somebody over without buying so much as a packet of crisps! I saw this a lot when I was over there and trust me you get nowhere. Right attitude will get you results. Remember that the majority of the people out there are in the same position as you, especially in early season, many fail. So everybody is out to get as much help as they can, helping others will help yourself. (Refer to our"job bar page")

The Ship (top of west end), in San Antonio is also a popular workers bar.

Jobs are not that well paid and you will be working seven days a week (unless you are really lucky!) and long hours (about 10 or 13 hours per day is quite normal). Jobs pay around 25 English pounds per day, if you are working full time. Allot of jobs come with some sort of accommodation, some provide drinks and meals, its quite possible that you will have to pay for your accommodation out of your wages. There the bad points, after spending a season here some would probably say that that bad outweighs the good, but I think the majority would say that the good out weigh the bad. The workers community is an extremely tight one, everybody seems to know everybody else, so don't expect to able to keep any secrets, some employments will offer you cheap or possibly even the odd free club tickets, also the DiscoBuses that run from the start of June make it possible to get to the clubs after work, cheaply and from virtually anywhere on the island (they run till about 5am, and return from the clubs). And then there is that Balearic feel to the place.

Not surprisingly accommodation is a lot harder to find after April time. The shear demand for a decent place to live on workers wages is unreal. I would suggest this should be your first priority and this is where your saved money comes in because many will want a deposit and a months rent (sometimes more) up front.

Once you have found accommodation and a job you need to get the legal side of things out of the way. Much like the national insurance number in the UK you need a tax number, this is called the N.I.E. You can obtain this by going to the Police station with your passport on a weekday at around 7am (to avoid the queue). The police station is in Evissa town (Ibiza town) and is next to the only McDonalds (one to many!). Avoiding the Q and the forms with cost you about 45EUR (7,500 pta), you go to Unidad (Solicitors, there is one in Santa Eulalia, ask at the Queen Victoria) and ask them to sort it out for you, you still have to go to the police station but they handle all of the paper work and the hassle that comes with it. (Refer to our"paper work page")

To open a bank account, go to any branch with your passport and they normally have somebody that can speak reasonable English, its possible to transfer money from your Spanish account to an English one if you need to pay stuff off while your over here. Most branches close at around 2.30pm, so remember to ask for a cash card (I noticed that they don't like to offer them). If you need to transfer money home while you are abroad our International Money transfer page is a must read!