Golf industry professional builds cross-border career with EURES support

Juan Jesús has now been working at Jack Nicklaus-designed Monte Rei Golf Resort for two years and says EURES’ advice for cross-border workers gave him the information he needed to take on the role.

Juan Jesús had previously worked in the golf sector in his home town of Huelva, Spain, and – 20 years earlier – in Castro Marim, in Portugal. But when he was considering taking up a permanent role across the border in Portugal, he needed advice.

‘I had worked in Portugal before, when I was 17 years old,’ says Juan Jesús, who is now 39. ‘So I know Portugal and the working experience there quite well. But, previously, I had so much trouble trying to sort out issues such as social security and finances. Everything was much more difficult.’

Support with the relevant advice

EURES Partner the Eurocity of Guadiana referred Juan Jesús to the EURES-T Andalucía-Algarve cross-border partnership (EURES-T AA), which reassured him that new agreements meant it was now much easier to work across the border.

Antonio Cárdenas, EURES Adviser at the EURES-T AA OESTE Office, says: ‘Our role was to encourage Juan Jesús to look for work across the border, showing him the resources of the EURES network and the IEFP Portuguese job portal. We also provided technical support to address his questions about taxation and social security stemming from a previous negative experience in Portugal, successfully clearing up his uncertainties.’

He adds: ‘Advising Juan Jesús was a rewarding experience thanks to his willingness, proactivity, and positive attitude – qualities that greatly facilitated our guidance work.’

At a European Job Days event, Juan Jesús was offered several interviews, thanks to his long golf industry experience and his ability to speak Spanish, Portuguese and English. The legal and tax advice he had previously received from EURES meant he was well-placed to agree on a contract with his chosen employer, the Monte Rei Golf Resort on Portugal’s Algarve.

Two years on, Juan Jesús still loves working at the resort where he is caddy master and the company’s only Spanish employee from a workforce of more than 150. He says: ‘I’m so lucky that every day is new – I meet new people from the USA, Canada, China, Japan and across Europe at the best golf course in Portugal. And I work outdoors in nature, checking the golf course, how it plays and golf etiquette. Working on a golf course is an amazing job.’

Next steps for jobseekers

Antonio points jobseekers to a range of useful tools on the EURES-T AA website, where jobseekers can submit personalised information requests through the OESTE one-stop shop, and submit applications through the cross-border job board.

Antonio says that while some people are able to manage cross-border careers themselves, it’s important that everyone has access to the information they need. ‘Our role as a public service is to democratise these job opportunities for all those who, due to lack of awareness or uncertainty, have not yet considered the neighbouring country as a viable career option.’

Find out more on the EURES-T Andalucía–Algarve cross-border partnership website, get in touch by eurestaa [dot] saejuntadeandalucia [dot] es (email), or view the Spain and Portugal Living and Working sections of the EURES portal.