The Spanish Social Security system provides a wide range of benefits in addition to
retirement, survivors and disability benefits. To qualify for Spanish benefits, a
worker must meet minimum length-of-coverage or recency-of-work requirements that vary
depending upon the type of benefit. The Spanish system is divided into:
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a general system that covers most employees in the private sector, and
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several special systems that cover workers in specific occupational categories: agricultural
employees and small farmers, seamen, coal miners, railroad workers, artists, bullfighters,
domestic employees, commercial representatives, self-employed persons, authors, professional
soccer players and students.