Particle.news

Foreign-Affiliated Workers in Spain Top 3.5 Million for First Time

The government's extraordinary regularization process, which added hundreds of thousands to Social Security rolls, is raising demand for faster decisions and stronger labor inspection.

Overview

  • Friday data show 3,512,223 foreign-affiliated workers in Spain, a rise of 420,875 year-on-year and 66,046 over the previous month, bringing foreign workers to 15.6% of total employment.
  • Officials say the extraordinary regularization that ran through June produced 262,475 new Social Security registrations by July 30, with the large majority entering the general regime.
  • Foreign workers remain highly concentrated in labour-intensive sectors, representing about 32.9% of hospitality workers, 46.7% of domestic workers in the household special regime, and large shares in agriculture and construction.
  • Castilla-La Mancha reported above-average growth with 113,983 foreign affiliates and 52,047 regularization applications, and unions have urged quicker, dignified final decisions plus stronger inspection to curb informal work.
  • Total contributors reached a record 22.5 million in July and the foreign-affiliate rise is broadening into transport, health and higher-value services while women now make up roughly 43% of foreign affiliates and the largest origin groups are Morocco, Colombia and Romania.