Immigration plays an increasingly vital role in both the labor market and the sociodemographic structures of European societies. The weight and age composition of immigrants reflect not only the attractiveness of these societies but also raise questions about the long-term implications in terms of integration, labor market adjustment, and social protection.
Since the beginning of the century, Spain has stood out as one of the European countries that has received the most immigration. As of January 1, 2024, data from the Continuous Population Statistics reveal that the foreign-born population represented 18.1% of residents in Spain, one percentage point higher than in 2023 (Graph 1). This increase, reaching a historic high of 8.8 million people, is the result of a steady upward trend over the past two decades. The foreign-born population only experienced a slight decline during the Great Recession —less than one percentage point (from 13.5% in January 2011 to 12.7% in July 2014)— as well as a brief pause in its expansion during the pandemic. These trends not only reflect demographic changes but also mark Spain’s structural potential to attract migration.
In the context of the European Union, the proportion of foreign-born population in Spain appears quite high. According to Eurostat data, in 2023, this percentage amounted to 13.3% of the EU population (Graph 2). Spain, with 17.1% of residents born abroad in 2023, only lags behind countries with a long tradition of hosting immigrants, such as Sweden (20.4%) and Germany (19.5%), and presents a significantly higher figure than France (13.1%). Although Portugal records a similar proportion (16.1%), other southern European countries such as Greece (11.3%) and Italy (10.9%) show clearly lower percentages.
The age composition of the foreign-born population is crucial in relation to concerns about labor shortages. Spain is one of the European countries with the highest proportion of immigrants aged 25 to 44 years: they represent 42% of all foreign-born individuals (Graph 3). This figure is clearly above the European average —37%— although lower than that of Denmark (44%), the Czech Republic (46%), and Finland (49%). It is worth noting that in Spain, three out of ten people in this age group were born abroad
On the other hand, the proportion of foreign-born residents varies greatly among autonomous communities. In 2024, the highest percentages are found in the Balearic Islands (27%), followed by Catalonia and Madrid (24%), Melilla (23%), and the Valencian Community and the Canary Islands (22%) (Graph 5). Conversely, Extremadura (6%), Asturias (10%), Castilla y León, and Galicia (11%) have the lowest percentages. In regions with more immigrants, such as Catalonia and Madrid, as well as the Basque Country and Navarra, a higher proportion of these immigrants are in the 25 to 44 age group. Delving into this regional disparity, some communities with a fairly low proportion of foreign-born immigrants aged 25 to 44, such as the Canary Islands, Valencia, and Andalusia, also have a higher proportion of immigrants aged 65 or older.