An Irish hotel recruiting a hospitality professional from Spain needs a clear role, a credible offer and a coordinated path from interview to arrival. The country a candidate comes from does not replace an assessment of their own experience, communication and suitability for the work.
Sagesa Hospitality is based in Spain and recruits EU professionals for permanent roles in Irish four- and five-star hotels with a strong employment ethos. Chefs and spa therapists lead our specialism, alongside food and beverage, reception and duty management. This guide explains our recruitment process and what an employer should prepare.
Start with the hotel and agree the brief
We begin by understanding the staffing issue, the working conditions, the team's experience and the expectations for the role. Explain why you are hiring and what the person will need to handle independently.
The terms of service are signed before recruitment begins. We then draft the role specification and obtain the hotel's approval before shortlisting and presenting candidates. Include responsibilities, evidence needed, pay, hours, accommodation arrangements and realistic availability. Commercial details belong in the agreed terms; no fee level or replacement guarantee should be inferred from this guide.
We expect employers to provide accommodation arrangements and discuss these before presenting a role. Confirm availability, costs and conditions for the particular offer.
Use the broader European recruitment guide to check that the hotel's decision makers and practical arrangements are ready before sourcing starts.
Assess the whole professional profile
Sagesa Hospitality's candidate checks cover CV, training, English, right to work, identity and references. The purpose is to build a relevant picture of the person, not to reduce suitability to a single certificate or a familiar previous employer.
Ask for evidence related to your own operation. A chef should be able to explain their section and contribution. A spa therapist's training needs to match the treatments being considered and the employer's requirements. Sagesa Hospitality requires at least B1 English. The hotel must also assess the communication needed for the particular role; some responsibilities require a higher level.
A person living in Spain is not necessarily an EU citizen. Check the individual's circumstances and appropriate evidence. The WRC's official guidance helps distinguish permission to work from other administrative documents.
Use interviews to test the match both ways
Sagesa Hospitality coordinates interviews and helps the professional prepare. The hotel should explain the role clearly, ask consistent job-related questions and leave time for the candidate's questions.
Discuss the real schedule, work environment and accommodation, rather than postponing practical details until after acceptance. The candidate offer checklist is useful for spotting information that remains unclear. Agree who will provide feedback and the next decision; do not promise a timetable the hotel cannot meet.
If a practical assessment is needed, agree its format and conditions beforehand and review applicable employment and safety requirements. Do not treat attendance at an interview as agreement to unspecified work.
Coordinate documents, relocation and the start date
For the selected professional, we coordinate documentation questions, relocation logistics and the proposed start. The employer supplies accurate information about the role and its arrangements; official bodies determine administrative requirements and decisions.
Confirm accommodation details, arrival contacts and first-day instructions before travel. A role accepted verbally is not a complete arrival plan. Candidate recruitment is free through Sagesa Hospitality; travel and living costs must still be planned because Sagesa Hospitality does not fund relocation.
Keep contact after the employee starts
We stay in regular contact with both employer and candidate after arrival. Use that conversation to identify issues about duties, communication, housing or practical arrangements, then assign an action to the appropriate person.
Our onboarding guide gives the hotel a structure for the first weeks and months. Prepare three things before approaching a shortlist: an agreed role brief, a complete offer and a named person responsible for welcoming the employee. Those are practical foundations for a considered recruitment decision.
Use the six candidate checks to record evidence and the pre-arrival checklist to allocate practical responsibilities.