Why so many different types of foreigners are choosing to move to Spain
In recent years, Spain has become one of the top choices for foreigners of varied socioeconomic backgrounds, from migrants looking for work to those escaping persecution, as well as affluent digital nomads. What's caused this?
Despite Spain's low birth rate and ageing society, the country's population is increasing, and it's all thanks to foreigners.
Spain surpassed the 49 million population mark in 2024 and in the first quarter of 2025 it already stands at 49.1 million thanks to the arrival of another 95,000+ foreigners.
There are now 6.9 million foreigners residing in Spain, and if you take into account those born overseas but who have acquired Spanish citizenship the figure rises to 9.4 million.
The majority of these migrants are of working age and are breathing new life into a booming economy that's being lauded internationally as one of the best performing, with migration pinpointed as the reason why.
As The Guardian's María Ramírez recently put it, "Recent population flows, particularly but not only from Colombia, Venezuela and other Latin American countries, as well as Morocco, have boosted domestic demand and rejuvenated the workforce".
Now a new report from the Bank of Spain in May 2025 confirms that Spain is becoming one of the top countries in the EU for migrants looking for work.
Armed conflicts and the lack of opportunities, as well as financial motivation are forcing many people from third countries to leave their homes and search for better lives and jobs abroad.
They are attracted to places with more stable economic conditions and favourable integration policies, which the Bank of Spain explains is why their country has one of the highest rates of migrant arrivals per thousand inhabitants.
In fact, Spain's Socialist government is very much the outlier in the EU currently when it comes for more lenient migration policies, as many other Member States are generally putting more restrictions in place.
In 2024, Spain was the second EU country with the most asylum requests with 164,000. Spain has also welcomed 210,000 Ukrainian refugees since the start of the war, the third highest figure in Western Europe after Germany and the UK.
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Falling unemployment (though still the highest in the EU), rising wages, and more inclusive immigration policies have made Spain a more appealing choice for many, especially for people from Latin America, who find it much easier to get jobs and integrate as they already speak Spanish.
The report shows that cultural factors like shared language or religion as well as geographic proximity, and historical ties are also factors that affect migration flows.
This is why Spain is the main destination in Europe for Latin Americans, whereas the UK is chosen by people from India, for example.
READ ALSO: Do English speakers still have an advantage in Spain's labour market?
The report reveals that migrants have been more motivated to move by conditions back home, but the aforementioned economic and political improvements in Spain have also been playing an increasingly important role in attracting foreigners.
It's not only migrants who are looking for work who are attracted to Spain, but also those looking to escape political situations in the United States for example, or looking for better weather and a vibrant culture, such as those from the UK.
The latest data from Spain’s National Institute of Statistics (INE) for example shows there were 50,623 US citizens registered as residents in Spain in 2024, up from 40,159 in 2022.
READ ALSO: Trump, safety and quality of life- Why so many Americans are moving to Spain
The number of non-EU nationals has also been boosted by the introduction of Spain’s digital nomad visa in 2023.
These foreigners are not driven by job opportunities in the country, but because of their love for Spain. However, the implementation of this visa means they’re still contributing to the Spanish economy through taxes.
The number of digital nomad visa holders is nowhere near the number of regular economic migrants who've come to Spain recently (approximately 9,500 non-EU nationals got the DNV during its first two years according to official figures), but it still points to another reason why Spain has become appealing to a different type of foreigner.
According to recent data from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, now there are almost three million foreigners registered for work here, which accounts for 13.9 percent of all jobs in Spain and 41 percent of new jobs over the past three years. Unemployment is also at its lowest level since 2007.
Lastly, there is of course a group which has long chosen Spain as its preferred country of residence: foreign retirees.
Even though Spain is no longer as 'cheap' as it once was for many of these pensioners who largely come from other countries in Western Europe, the cost of living and housing, together will all the other factors that make Spain an ideal place to retire, has ensured that demand remains high.
Therefore, Spain has consolidated itself as not only the world's second most visited country by international tourists, it's effectively become a very popular relocation choice for migrants from many different countries and backgrounds.
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