Even though Spain has been losing its nationals for most of the last decade, the inflow migration figures of the Mediterranean country saw an increase over the last few years. The year 2022 was the second year after 2020 in which the migration inflow fell compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, the population of Spain has been growing for many years and was projected to increase by one million by 2027.

A matter of balance The net migration rate of Spain changed its course mainly due to the great inflow of foreigners that move to reside in the Mediterranean country. Spain’s immigration flow slowed down after the 2008 financial crisis, albeit the number of foreigners that opted to change their residence saw a significant growth in the last years. In 2022, Colombians ranked first as the foreign nationality that most relocated to Spain, distantly followed by Moroccans and Ukrainians.

Spain does not have the highest number of immigrants in Europe In recent years, the European Union confronted a rising number of refugees arriving from the Middle East. Migration figures show that Germany accommodated approximately 15 million foreign-born citizens, ranking it as the country that most hosted immigrants in Europe in 2022. By comparison, Spain’s foreign population stood over seven million, positioning the Western Mediterranean country third on the European list of foreign-born population. Unfortunately, thousands of persons have died ore gone missing trying to reach Spanish territory, as more and more irregular migrants opt to use dangerous maritime routes to arrive at Southern Europe from Africa's coasts.

******** ranked as the country of origin of the largest immigration group arriving into Spain in 2023, as revealed by the latest data. Over ******* people migrated from the South American country to Spain that year. The second largest group was comprised by ********* with around ******* newcomers. A matter of balance The net migration rate of Spain changed its course mainly due to the great inflow of foreigners that move to reside in the Mediterranean country. Spain’s immigration flow slowed down after the 2008 financial crisis, albeit the number of foreigners that opted to change their residence saw a significant growth in the last years. In 2023, Moroccans ranked first as the foreign nationality residing Spain, followed by people from Romania and the Colombians. Spain does not have the highest number of immigrants in Europe In recent years, the European Union confronted a rising number of refugees arriving from the Middle East and Africa. Migration figures show that Germany accommodated approximately ** million foreign-born citizens, ranking it as the country that most hosted immigrants in Europe in 2023. By comparison, Spain’s foreign population stood over ***** million, positioning the Western Mediterranean country third on the European list of foreign-born population. Unfortunately, thousands of persons have died or gone missing trying to reach Spanish territory, as more and more irregular migrants opt to use dangerous maritime routes to arrive at Southern Europe from Africa's coasts.

Spain ES: Net Migration data was reported at 200,000.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of -570,000.000 Person for 2012. Spain ES: Net Migration data is updated yearly, averaging 86,946.500 Person from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2017, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,838,240.000 Person in 2002 and a record low of -570,000.000 Person in 2012. Spain ES: Net Migration data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the total number of immigrants less the annual number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens. Data are five-year estimates.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum;

Historical dataset showing Spain immigration statistics by year from 1960 to 2015.

According to the source, ***** irregular migrants arrived in Spain in January 2021, which represented the highest number of irregular migrants of the study period, second only to October 2018, with ***** cases. February, March and April tend to be the months with the lowest arrival of illegal migrants.

Population Projections: Immigration from the rest of Spain by sex, generation and year. Annual. Autonomous Communities and Cities.

As recorded by the source, Moroccans ranked as the foreign nationality with more residents in Spain in 2023, closely followed by Romanians. After years of losing its foreign population, Spain’s immigration figures started to pick up in 2015, with the number of people that moved to the Mediterranean country surpassing the number of foreigners that decided to leave.

A matter of balance The net migration rate of Spain changed its course mainly due to the great inflow of foreigners that move to reside in the Mediterranean country. Spain’s immigration flow slowed down after the 2008 financial crisis, albeit the number of foreigners that opted to change their residence saw a significant growth in the last years. In 2022, Colombians ranked first as the foreign nationality that most relocated to Spain, distantly followed by Moroccans and Ukranians.

Spain does not have the highest number of immigrants in Europe In recent years, the European Union confronted a rising number of refugees arriving from the Middle East. Migration figures show that Germany accommodated approximately 15 million foreign-born citizens, ranking it as the country that most hosted immigrants in Europe in 2022. By comparison, Spain’s foreign population stood slightly over seven million, positioning the Western Mediterranean country third on the European list of foreign-born population. Unfortunately, thousands of persons have died ore gone missing trying to reach Spanish territory, as more and more irregular migrants opt to use dangerous maritime routes to arrive at Southern Europe from Africa's coasts.

This horizontal bar chart displays net migration (people) by currency using the aggregation sum in Spain. The data is about countries per year.

Migration Statistic: Immigration flow from abroad by year, sex, age group, country of origin, nationality (Spanish/foreign) and country of birth with respect to the country of origin. Annual. National.

Graph and download economic data for Net migration for Spain (SMPOPNETMESP) from 1962 to 2017 about migration, Spain, Net, 5-year, and population.

Spain Migration: Immigration data was reported at 287,882.000 Person in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 298,062.000 Person for Dec 2017. Spain Migration: Immigration data is updated semiannually, averaging 186,990.000 Person from Jun 2008 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 329,772.000 Person in Jun 2008 and a record low of 127,796.000 Person in Jun 2013. Spain Migration: Immigration data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.G005: Migration.

Historical dataset showing Spain net migration by year from 1960 to 2024.

At the beginning of the analyzed period of time, the net migration of foreign nationals resulted in negative figures, with its lowest point in 2013, year in which net migration reached approximately -210,600 persons. This trend ended in 2015, with the rate turning positive and reaching figures of approximately 616,000 in 2023. This is due to changes in migration flows since 2015, year that turned the tables towards a positive inflow of migrants into the country.

Spain Migration: to Madrid data was reported at 59.700 Person th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 77.300 Person th for 2016. Spain Migration: to Madrid data is updated yearly, averaging 74.000 Person th from Dec 2006 (Median) to 2017, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 108.700 Person th in 2008 and a record low of 50.600 Person th in 2009. Spain Migration: to Madrid data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.G005: Migration.

This scatter chart displays population (people) against net migration (people) in Spain. The data is about countries per year.

Spain Migration: to South data was reported at 67.300 Person th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 113.500 Person th for 2016. Spain Migration: to South data is updated yearly, averaging 80.850 Person th from Dec 2006 (Median) to 2017, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 138.600 Person th in 2007 and a record low of 55.700 Person th in 2013. Spain Migration: to South data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.G005: Migration. South includes: Andalusia, Region of Murcia, Ceuta and Melilla.

Spain ES: International Migrant Stock: % of Population data was reported at 12.690 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 13.476 % for 2010. Spain ES: International Migrant Stock: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 6.716 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.476 % in 2010 and a record low of 2.096 % in 1990. Spain ES: International Migrant Stock: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. International migrant stock is the number of people born in a country other than that in which they live. It also includes refugees. The data used to estimate the international migrant stock at a particular time are obtained mainly from population censuses. The estimates are derived from the data on foreign-born population--people who have residence in one country but were born in another country. When data on the foreign-born population are not available, data on foreign population--that is, people who are citizens of a country other than the country in which they reside--are used as estimates. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 people living in one of the newly independent countries who were born in another were classified as international migrants. Estimates of migrant stock in the newly independent states from 1990 on are based on the 1989 census of the Soviet Union. For countries with information on the international migrant stock for at least two points in time, interpolation or extrapolation was used to estimate the international migrant stock on July 1 of the reference years. For countries with only one observation, estimates for the reference years were derived using rates of change in the migrant stock in the years preceding or following the single observation available. A model was used to estimate migrants for countries that had no data.; ; United Nations Population Division, Trends in Total Migrant Stock: 2008 Revision.; Weighted average;

Migration Statistic: Emigration flow abroad by semester, country of destination and nationality (Spanish/foreign). Semi-annual. National.

This bar chart displays net migration (people) by country full name using the aggregation sum in Spain. The data is about countries per year.

From January to June 2025, the highest number of illegal immigrants that arrived in Spain via land and sea came from Mali, with approximately ***** people. The immigrants from Senegal and Algeria were the second and third most numerous group, with ***** and ***** people leaving their country of residence, respectively. More than ****** illegal immigrants reached the Iberian country in 2024. A risky journey Spain, together with Italy and Greece, are the main points of entry to Europe for illegal migration. Most arrivals happen through the Mediterranean Sea, which is a very dangerous journey for migrants. While active since 2006, the migration route from the coasts of West Africa to the Canary Islands (the closest territory of the European Union) has become particularly popular in recent years, even though so many people lost their lives their. Undocumented minors Among those reaching the Spanish territory are undocumented and unaccompanied minors, known in Spanish as "menas” (Menores Extranjeros No Acompañados). In 2018, the number of unaccompanied and separated children that arrived by sea exceeded *****, which represented the largest figure since at least 2014. This number decreased by approximately ***** cases in 2020. Nearly half of them came from Morocco, separated from Spain by merely ** kilometres of water at the Gibraltar Strait's narrowest point.