PHP Developer Hiring Trends in Barcelona, Spain

This report was last updated on Aug 17, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The software PHP engineers job market in Spain, particularly in Barcelona, presents a dynamic yet challenging landscape for hiring managers, with a peak of 52 new roles posted in week 21 followed by a sharp drop to just 5 openings in subsequent weeks, showcasing the volatility in hiring trends.
Currently, there are 5,625 job postings for Software PHP Engineers in Spain, with PHP, JavaScript, MySQL, and frameworks like Laravel and Symfony being the most sought-after technologies, indicating a strong demand for proficiency in these areas.
In terms of seniority distribution, 46% of positions are Mid-Senior level, reflecting a robust demand for experienced Software PHP Engineers, with a tailored approach necessary for hiring Senior Software PHP Developers.
The top cities for recruiting Software PHP Engineers reveal that Madrid dominates with 45% of job openings, while Barcelona holds a significant 26%, highlighting its growing role as a tech hub in Spain.
The median time to hire for Software PHP Engineers in Spain stands at 30 days, reinforcing the importance for CTOs and hiring managers to implement effective recruitment strategies to expedite the hiring process amid a competitive market.

Number of roles opened and closed for PHP Engineers in Barcelona in the last 3 months

Over the past 12 weeks, the software PHP engineering job market in Spain Barcelona has displayed fluctuating activity. The weekly count of new roles posted peaked at 52 in week 21, followed by a significant decline, with openings dropping to just 5 in weeks 22 and 23. In contrast, job closures have exhibited a more consistent trend, reaching up to 27 positions closed in week 24. This indicates a challenging environment for hiring managers, with a discrepancy between new openings and closed roles, potentially signifying high competition for available PHP developers. Compared to other roles in the tech industry within Spain Barcelona, where hiring trends remain more stable, the demand for software PHP engineers is markedly volatile, warranting strategic recruitment approaches for CTOs and Engineering Managers.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in Spain:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
Bending Spoons	Italy	Information Technology & Services	2013	166
Spain Internship	Spain	Government Administration	2010	100
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	93
Plexus Tech	Spain	Information Technology & Services	2000	70
Secture	Spain	Information Technology & Services	2017	48
knowmad mood	Spain	Information Technology & Services	1994	39
AD4 Octógono	Spain	Information Technology & Services	null	36
IRIUM	Spain	Information Technology & Services	2002	33
MediaMarkt España	Spain	Retail	1999	30
SlashMobility	Spain	Information Technology & Services	2010	29

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in Spain

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in Spain

The talent market for Software PHP Engineers reveals a varied landscape across Europe, with significant discrepancies in the balance between job openings and available talent pools. In Spain, specifically Barcelona, the number of job openings is high; however, the talent pool is limited compared to other countries such as Germany, where job offerings are plentiful with a more extensive workforce. In contrast, Poland exhibits a favorable jobs-to-talent ratio, indicating a more accessible hiring environment. With this competitive backdrop, recruitment strategies for CTOs in Spain's Barcelona tech sector will need to adapt to navigate the challenging hiring landscape effectively. Thus, while opportunities for Software PHP Developers are present in Spain, the elevated demand compared to the available talent suggests that hiring is relatively challenging.

Seniority distribution of PHP Engineer job openings in Barcelona

Seniority Distribution of PHP Engineering Jobs in Barcelona

In the software PHP job market in Spain, particularly in Barcelona, the seniority distribution reveals that 46% of positions are classified as Mid-Senior level, followed by 30% at the Entry level, and 16% categorized as Associate roles. This indicates a robust demand for experienced Software PHP Engineers, highlighting the necessity for hiring managers to adapt their recruitment strategies in light of the trends in hiring Senior Software PHP Developers.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Spain

In the software development job market in Spain, particularly for PHP Engineers, full-time positions dominate the landscape, accounting for 97% of all relevant roles. This is followed by contract positions, which represent 3% of the job offerings. Part-time roles and internships contribute minimally, at just 2% and 2% respectively, reflecting a strong preference for stable, long-term employment in the sector.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in Spain

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire for Software PHP Engineers in Spain, particularly in Barcelona, reveals significant insights into market dynamics. A notable proportion of positions remain open for over 30 days, with 1982 roles taking 30 days to fill, and 1446 roles requiring 25 days. Hiring managers should be aware that 913 jobs have a 15-day hiring timeframe, indicating a potential competitive advantage for those positions. With 1140 roles requiring 10 days and 273 roles filled within 5 days, the recruitment landscape underscores the importance of effective recruitment strategies for CTOs. Furthermore, the demand for Software PHP Developer opportunities in Spain shows a clear trajectory towards extended hiring durations, emphasizing the need for proactive engagement with candidates.

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Most popular cities in Spain to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in Spain to hire Software Engineers

In the Software PHP Engineers job market in Spain, the city of Madrid leads with 45% of job openings, significantly outpacing Barcelona, which accounts for 26% of the total opportunities. With a smaller share, Valencia and Málaga contribute 5% and 5%, respectively. This data highlights the concentration of software development roles in the capital, while underscoring the growing presence of opportunities in Barcelona as a key tech hub.

Most sought after technologies in Barcelona for PHP

Key technologies for PHP Engineers

In the Spanish job market for Software PHP Engineers, PHP stands out as the primary technology, appearing in 5,625 job postings. This is followed by JavaScript, which is crucial for front-end development, with 2,983 mentions. Additionally, MySQL and SQL are pivotal for data management, with frequencies of 1,649 and 1,558, respectively. The prominence of frameworks such as Laravel and Symfony is also notable, with 1,168 and 1,001 occurrences. These technologies, along with essential skills like HTML and CSS, play a vital role in shaping the landscape of Software PHP job opportunities in Spain, particularly in Barcelona, as illustrated in the accompanying chart.

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