“To get a truly international experience, Barcelona is perfect”
At Qonto, borders are no barrier to talent.
And with Spain being voted the best European country for expats, it’s no surprise that a growing number of those working in our Barcelona office hail from outside of Cervantes’ country. As of October 2023, 96 of those at Qonto Barcelona were from somewhere other than Spain, representing 28 countries from across the world.
It’s a melting pot of cultures, views, skills, and languages spoken.
But what’s the reality for those making the move? What’s it like when Spain becomes your full-time home, rather than a holiday haunt?
Hear from five Qontoers who switched their native nation for Catalonia’s capital.
Making light work of paperwork
Relocating can feel exhilarating and exciting; a voyage of discovery. When moving from abroad with Qonto, there’s always a dedicated point person to help you navigate the thornier challenges that can present themselves, relieving any bureaucratic stress.
This applies from the very first contact, with an interview process French native and Qonto Fraud Agent Felix Gleizes describes as “very quick. My Talent Manager, Andrea, kept in close communication with me, and I quickly had my first interviews with my future manager. Andrea was able to answer all my questions and support me throughout the process, putting me in touch with members of my team to facilitate my move.”
Every foreign resident in Spain will have a unique Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE) — an individual ID document required by the Spanish government. It’s needed for everything from opening a bank account to setting up internet, phone, and utilities.
Forget wading through papers and trying to make sense of a new country’s rules and regulations; the Qonto People team in Barcelona is on hand to support new movers in applying for and securing their NIE and their social security number.
It was an invaluable add-on for Salma Kosbr, Customer Success Manager for VIP clients, who grew up in Paris. “Qonto helped me to get my NIE card, as well as helping me to get my empadronamiento [the process of being added to Barcelona’s resident census], which was really helpful.”
Qonto’s People team’s wealth of knowledge offers valuable reassurance, which is often needed when making a life change. As Martin Velly, Countering the Financing of Terrorism Officer at Qonto, shares, “During the relocation process, I was confident that I was in good hands, and I just went with the flow to discover step by step where my feet would land.”
It’s not just the legal paperwork that you’ll get support with. Qonto partners with global mobility company, Santa Fe Relocation Services, to set new joiners up in their very own homes.
And when it comes to the extra expenses incurred when you move somewhere new, there’s an allowance made for that, too: “I received a relocation package from Qonto, which helped me a lot to move all my belongings from Paris to Barcelona, so I could save a lot of money and start fresh,” Salma shares.
With numerous other international colleagues in the office who have gone through the same expatriation process, you’re never short of someone to seek informal advice from; whether you want to know about the most desirable neighborhood to live in, or you’re seeking the best local spots for tapas.
English: the lingua franca
When you’re relocating to a new place, language will naturally be a consideration. And in the case of Barcelona, two languages are in circulation; Castilian and Catalan.
But those who don’t know their ‘perros’ from their ‘peros’ needn’t be discouraged.
English is the official language in the Qonto office; it’s the language in which meetings and most socials take place. According to Martin — a non-native Spanish speaker — ”The office in Barcelona is really international. Everyone speaks English, but if you’re willing to relocate to Spain, you’re likely to have a curiosity for the language. In that sense, the office is a perfect tower of Babel, with many languages spoken and the chance to try out your skills in an informal setting.”
In Salma’s view, “To get a truly international experience, Barcelona is amazing. But if you’re hoping to go further, and live the Spanish life, I’d say it’s valuable to learn the language, to get under the skin of the culture.”
And Qonto facilitates this cultural exploration, for those who have the desire to flex their linguistic muscles. Language lessons are provided free by Qonto partner Busuu. “Busuu is perfect for any Qontoers living abroad and willing to learn,” Martin comments. “It’s a platform which offers personal, live classes with a teacher where you can practice your speaking. Having that dedicated one-on-one time is one of the best ways to get comfortable in a new language. It’s a great benefit, whether you’re using it because you wish to communicate with Spanish natives socially, or because you want to broaden your professional horizons.”
Teamwork makes the dream work
A big pull for many candidates considering relocating to Barcelona is the strength of Qonto’s people. Taking up a new position is made easier when you’re confident that you’ll be shoulder-to-shoulder with teammates who are motivated to achieve great things.
This was true for Salma, who was aware of Qonto’s reputation before joining. “Knowing that I’d be working among some of the most knowledgable people in the industry was a real selling point for me when it came to moving to Barcelona to take up this role.”
And for Eleonora Cusanno, who looks after Qonto onboarding for the Italian market, it was a very quick settling-in process in among her peers. “Once I started and I met my colleagues, I felt immediately part of the team and supported. The people here are brilliant, highly talented, and very friendly. When you start a new job, it’s really important to know that you’re surrounded by a strong cohort of colleagues who are there to help you grow — and vice versa. That was the case with my team here at Qonto.”
Sea, city…and start-ups
While Barcelona is a popular vacation destination, with its ‘fun in the sun’ reputation — it’s a city of cerebral substance, too.
A wellspring of start-ups have settled in the Catalonian center, giving it serious credentials as a bustling hub of innovation. Qonto — with its status as a scale-up leading the market as a business finance solution — counts among its number of fast-growing and exciting enterprises.
Qonto’s office, located in a co-working space in central Barcelona, is equipped for both work and wellbeing, with yoga classes, meditation sessions, self-serve snacks, and drinks on offer.
It’s an environment where the pursuit of parity is front and center, with a 44% female workforce compared with 17% in the tech sector overall.
And the Qonto culture is carefully designed around making new connections. For Julie Santanoceto, who moved from Toulouse, France to Spain to take up the role of Anti Money Laundering Officer, making friends happened naturally. “The office is very international and diverse. There are always lots of colleagues who are newly arrived in Barcelona, so it’s easy to meet people and integrate.”
Events hosted in and outside of the office create natural moments to mix with new colleagues socially. Evening entertainment runs the gamut from paint and tapas evenings to escape room excursions, with Qontoers free to sign up to whichever activity appeals to their tastes. Martin describes the recent appointment of a dedicated Qonto event planner as “life-changing, because out-of-office activities help us to develop deeper bonds.”
With sangria served on tap (to be enjoyed outside of working hours!) and a sun-soaked rooftop terrace complete with fuzball table, the office is a place where work and play meet.
Living la vida catalana
Though the Qonto office is well kitted-out, life doesn’t start and end in the workplace. Being in a bustling city like Barcelona means plenty of opportunities to enjoy all that the metropolis has to offer.
It’s a place steeped in history and art, perfect for those wanting to get up close and personal with culture. Barcelona plays host to more than 80 museums — perhaps unsurprising, in the city that was central to the Modernism movement — as well as 100 different beaches, from stretches of silky golden sands to hidden rocky coves.
Felix describes weekday evenings spent enjoying the Barcelona beachfront. “Having the sea just 10 minutes from the office means you’ve got a great way to relax and recoup after work, right on your doorstep. And it’s also a perfect place to go out with friends at the weekends.”
Swapping Brussels for Barcelona meant that Martin could find much-sought work-life balance. “In Qonto, for most positions, you have the option work remotely and to adapt your schedules, to a certain degree. Everything is put in place for you to find a good alchemy between work and everything else. As an example, during spring and summer, you will see some Qontoers starting their day early to go to the beach in the afternoon. Others with children successfully balance work and a quality family life.”
For Julie, the reality of living in a seaside city matched her expectations. “I dreamt of Barcelona as a sunny, vibrant place — and it is! There’s a lot to do, and the winter weather is delightful when you come from somewhere like France.”
And there are other, more practical, benefits. “Of course there’s the good weather — but there’s also well-managed public transport,” says Salma. “It takes me 35 minutes to get to the office, door to door. In Paris, even by car, 35 minutes is unheard of!”
Thinking of moving?
Finally, when it comes to words of wisdom, lived experience is often the best teacher. And the verdict from Qonto’s Barcelona-based expats is unequivocal.
“The relocation to Barcelona was very easy. I felt safe making this change, knowing that I had Qonto supporting me,” explains Eleonora. “I would definitely recommend moving to Barcelona to work. The atmosphere here is exciting, there are people from all over the world in the office, and the cultural scene is very lively and buzzy.”
When it comes to superlatives, Felix places the city at the top of the list for international workers. “For me, it’s one of the best European cities to move to as an expatriate. Even though it’s a regional capital, it’s still a city on a human scale.”
Martin found that his own high hopes around life in Spain were surpassed. “The reality at Qonto Barcelona is beyond my expectations. I really quickly got used to my new environment and found a life-work balance which makes me happy. I do not regret for a second having taken this decision.”
Interested in joining the Qonto team, in Barcelona or elsewhere in Europe? Check out our current vacancies:
