New data from Spain’s National Institute of Statistics (INE), reported by El País, shows that 20 percent of the country’s population was born abroad. That figure translates to roughly 10 million people, marking a sustained rise that has accelerated in the past few years. According to the data, two million were added to the foreign-born population in just the last three years, a pace that compresses what was once a longer-term trend into a much shorter window.
The composition of that population is uneven but clearly defined. About half of foreign-born residents come from the Americas, followed by 27 percent from Europe, 17 percent from Africa, and 6 percent from Asia. At the country level, Morocco accounts for the largest share, with approximately 1.1 million nationals now living in Spain—a figure that has doubled over two decades. Colombia and Venezuela follow, with nearly one million and 700,000 residents respectively. Romania, once higher on the list, has declined from around 750,000 in 2012 to about 500,000.
Nearly Seven in Ten Spaniards Oppose Socialist Government’s Illegal Migrant Amnesty Schemehttps://t.co/5xSAbML2vA
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The data also highlights the concentration of working-age individuals. Among those aged 20 to 64, foreign-born residents make up 26 percent of the population, placing the demographic shift squarely within Spain’s labor force.
This statistical release arrives at a politically sensitive moment. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government is advancing a plan to grant legal status to a large number of migrants currently in the country without authorization. The proposal is expected to cover around 500,000 individuals, though internal projections suggest as many as 750,000 applications could be processed.
The mechanism itself is notable. The government intends to use a Royal Decree, allowing the measure to move forward without a full parliamentary vote. Eligibility requirements, as outlined in reports, include proof of time spent in Spain, possession of valid identification, and a clean criminal record.
Socialist Spain to Grant Amnesty to Half Million Illegal Migrantshttps://t.co/UKwknSdlJo
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Estimates from the Spanish think tank Funcas place the total number of unauthorized migrants at roughly 840,000, a figure that has increased significantly since 2017. That group represents about 17 percent of non-EU foreign residents in the country. Funcas also projects that many beneficiaries of the proposed amnesty would come from Colombia, Peru, and Honduras, where gaps between legal and illegal residency are most pronounced.
The proposal has drawn attention beyond Spain. European Commissioner for Asylum and Migration Magnus Brunner has warned, through internal EU channels, that such a large-scale regularization could carry broader implications for migration patterns within the European Union.
