Registering an Empleada de Hogar: Employing Household Help Legally

If you regularly employ a cleaner, childminder or carer in your own home on Mallorca, you are an employer in Spain. That applies from the first hour, even at three hours a week. You have to register your empleada de hogar, pay social security contributions and follow a few rules on pay, holidays and dismissal. It sounds like bureaucracy, but it is doable: the Seguridad Social has built a portal called Importass that handles the registration online. This post walks you through the process. If you are looking for staff for a business, different rules apply, which are covered in the guide Hiring Employees in Spain.

What the Sistema Especial de Empleados de Hogar is

The Sistema Especial de Empleados de Hogar is the branch of the Spanish social security system for domestic workers. Anyone who employs a person for pay in a private household registers them there and pays monthly contributions that cover pension, sickness protection and, since 2022, unemployment benefit as well.

The legal basis is Real Decreto 1620/2011, which governs the employment relationship in private households. In 2022 Spain tightened things up with Real Decreto-ley 16/2022: since then, unemployment insurance and the wage guarantee through FOGASA are mandatory, and domestic workers are covered by health and safety rules. For you as an employer this means the days when a cleaner was paid informally and in cash are legally over. If undeclared employment is discovered, you face back payments of contributions and fines of several thousand euros.

A detail that surprises many people: the obligation to register lies with the employer, regardless of the number of hours. Only if the worker does fewer than 60 hours a month for you can you agree that they handle the formalities themselves. The responsibility for making sure the registration exists still stays with you.

Registering through Importass: how it works

Registration runs through Importass, the Seguridad Social's online portal for private households. You need a digital certificate or a Cl@ve login. The employer guide for Empleo del hogar explains every step in Spanish, and the process itself is manageable:

Minimum wage and costs in 2026

The Spanish minimum wage (SMI) applies in full in private households too. In 2026 that is 1,221 EUR gross per month in 14 payments, so 17,094 EUR a year for full time. If you spread the two extra payments over twelve months, you pay 1,424.50 EUR monthly. For hourly work there is a minimum rate of 9.55 EUR per hour, which already includes the share for holidays and extra payments.

Then there are the social security contributions. The state reduces them substantially for private households: there is a 20 percent rebate on the contribution for general risks, and as much as 80 percent on unemployment insurance and FOGASA. All in all, the 2026 calculation looks roughly like this:

For a cleaner working four hours a week we are talking about very different numbers: the wage then comes to a good 165 EUR a month, and contributions are charged proportionally based on the actual hours. The exact contribution brackets depend on the monthly wage and are listed in the Importass guide. How the Spanish social security system is structured overall is explained in the guide on social security in Spain.

Holidays, extra payments and dismissal

Besides wages and contributions, there are a few employee rights you should plan for from the start:

• 30 calendar days of paid holiday a year, at least 15 of them consecutive
• two extra payments a year, usually in June and December
• a maximum of 40 hours a week plus agreed on-call time
• paid days off on public holidays
• continued pay and cover during illness through the Seguridad Social

You can end the employment relationship through what is called desistimiento. Since the 2022 reform you need a justifiable reason for it, such as lower household income, changed family needs or a loss of trust. You have to give notice in writing, state the reason and pay severance of twelve days' wages per year of employment, capped at six months' pay. The notice period is 20 days after one year of service, seven days before that.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to register a cleaner who only comes two hours a week?

Yes. The obligation to register applies from the first hour of work; there is no minimum threshold. Below 60 hours a month the domestic worker can, if they wish, handle the registration themselves, but the household that employs them remains responsible.

What happens if I do not register?

Undeclared work in the household counts as a serious offence. The labour inspectorate can demand back contributions and impose fines. On top of that there is the liability risk: if an unregistered helper is injured at work, you are left with the resulting costs.

Does the minimum wage also apply with board and lodging?

Benefits in kind such as accommodation and meals may only replace cash wages to a limited extent. At least the minimum wage in money must be guaranteed for full time; deductions for board and lodging are only allowed above that threshold and by agreement.

Conclusion

Employing household help legally on Mallorca takes some effort at the initial registration and, after that, mainly discipline with wages and contributions. The key figures for 2026: at least 9.55 EUR per hour, or 1,221 EUR gross in 14 payments for full time, plus the social security contributions reduced through rebates. You register through Importass before the first day of work, and from four weeks onwards a written contract is part of the deal. Once you have set this up properly, there is little ongoing work, and if need be a gestoria takes over the payroll. The informal route saves money in the short term but carries the risk of back payments, fines and liability in the event of an accident. That is rarely worth it.