Salva Orellana, a Seville electrician, has gone from earning €1,600 a month in Seville to receiving €6,200 in Germany, almost four times more. His experience led him to create his own company in Spain based on the German model.
Salva Orellana, an electrician from Seville, has seen his salary soar after emigrating to Germany. From the €1,600 monthly he earned in the Andalusian capital, he has moved to earning €6,200 a month in the German country, a figure that includes extra shifts and bonuses, but which represents nearly quadrupling his previous income.
Orellana started working at 17, chaining shifts of up to 18 hours, which led him to train as an electrician. After specialising in electricity, electromechanics, and solar energy, he received a job offer in Germany that changed his life.
The leap was not just economic. Orellana discovered a different approach to electrical installations in Germany, where energy independence is prioritised over the immediate savings that dominate in Spain. There, he observed a commitment to solar panels, storage batteries, and higher quality inverters, seeking reliable and durable systems.
This experience led him to create, upon his return to Spain, an electrical company with the aim of transferring that German model. His firm focuses on quality materials and comprehensive installations that prioritise efficiency and reliability, as opposed to what he considers a Spanish tendency to seek the lowest price.
Orellana has also developed a critical view of the subsidy system for solar panels in Spain. He denounces the bureaucratic slowness, with families waiting years for promised payments, which in his opinion creates a breeding ground for opportunistic companies that offer low-quality materials at inflated prices, taking advantage of the delay in aid.
In contrast to this model, Orellana cites the German system as an example, where instead of waiting for subsidies, a 0% VAT is applied to the installation of residential photovoltaic panels. This reduces both the installation cost and the product price, facilitating access to solar energy.
For Sevillians considering making the leap to Germany, Orellana recommends getting well-trained and specialised, as the demand for qualified professionals is high. He himself is an example of how emigration can mean a radical change in working and economic conditions.
His story reflects an increasingly common reality: the brain drain and the search for better opportunities abroad. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics, emigration of Spaniards to Germany has grown in recent years, especially among technical professionals.
Orellana, who now balances his work in Germany with managing his company in Seville, assures that the effort has been worth it. 'There, training and experience are valued more, and that is reflected in the salary,' he explains.
His case can serve as inspiration for many young Sevillians who see their job expectations limited in Spain. The salary difference, combined with a more efficient energy model, has led him to reconsider his professional future.
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