La afiliación de extranjeros supera en octubre los 3,1 millones de ocupados

Social Security has registered 3,100,999 foreign affiliates in October if the calendar effect is discounted. For the first time, the number of workers from other countries exceeds 3.1 million, after adding more than 200,000 workers in the last twelve months (206,837), which represents a +7.15% year-on-year variation.

In the original series, average affiliation, the number of workers from other countries is 3,101,500, which means a growth of +7.2% year-on-year, almost five points above the total affiliation, which has experienced an increase of +2.4% in the last year.

Among the autonomous communities that lead the growth, Asturias (21.7%), Galicia (15.5%), Extremadura (15.4%) and Castilla y León (11.5%) stand out, which, except for Extremadura, were in turn the ones that had the highest average age in Spain in 2024 according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

In any case, the number of foreign affiliates, which on average represents 14.2% of the total number of affiliates; in the aforementioned territories they represent 7.4% in Asturias; 7.1% in Galicia, and 10.4% in Castilla y León, figures that reflect their essential role in the sustainability of these territories.

On the other hand, women already represent 43.1% of the total number of foreign workers, with 1,335,803 foreign affiliates to the system.

General regime

In line with the situation of native workers, 83.9% of foreign affiliates are covered by the General Social Security System, with 2,601,143 workers.

They have a particularly significant weight in the Hospitality sector, where they represent one in three employed (29.2% of participants), but also in Agriculture (25.4%), Construction (23%) and both Administrative Activities and Transport, where they are almost 18% of workers.

As an indicator of the diversification of occupations by the collective, its growth can be seen in more and more sectors. Among the activities with the highest presence of foreign workers, Transport stands out, where its presence has grown by 32.9% in the last year, Water Supply (14.7%), Construction (12.5%), Agriculture (10.5%) and Manufacturing Industry (9.2%), Financial Activities (8.7%), Public Administration (8.5%), Health Activities (7.8%), Commerce (7.6%), and Administrative Activities and Auxiliary Services (7.5%).

But, in addition, the sectors with more added value such as Financial Activities (8.7%), Information and Communications (5.9%) and Professional and Scientific-Technical Activities (5.5%) are growing significantly.

If we look at the country of origin of the workers, Morocco, with 365,089 contributors, is the country that provides the most workers, followed by Romania (340,449) and Colombia (251,084).

Record growth of foreign self-employed workers

The membership of self-employed workers from other countries reached a new peak in October: 494,246 people, 6.6% more than a year ago. Its growth is well above the average of the group of affiliates, whose growth has been 1.1%

This growth is even more relevant in highly qualified sectors: in the last year, the number of foreign self-employed workers has increased by 27% in Information and Communications, in Energy Supply, 23.6%, 18.8% in Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities and 13.8% in Financial and Insurance Activities.

The ESC confirms the structural role of migration in the Spanish labour market

The report on the migratory reality in Spain, prepared by the Economic and Social Council (ESC) and presented yesterday to Minister Elma Saiz, confirms the essential role of the migrant population in sustaining employment, growth and pensions.

“The CES report reminded us this week that Spain will need 2.4 million jobs in the next decade to maintain its productive level. Workers from other countries will be instrumental in responding to that challenge and ensuring a future of shared prosperity, cohesion and social justice,” said Minister Saiz.

The document estimates that Spain will need to incorporate 2.4 million people into the labor market in the next decade to maintain its productive capacity, a need that is already reflected in the affiliation data known today: more than 3.1 million foreign people work in our country, 14.2% of the total.

The ESC highlights the positive impact of immigration on growth and productivity, and values the reforms of the Regulation on Foreigners of 2022 and 2024 as a decisive impulse to promote integration and take advantage of the talent of migrants in our country.

Additional information in Excel and on the web:

https://w6.seg-social.es/PXWeb/pxweb/es