The arrival in Spain of over half a million migrants in 2017 has made up for the negative population balance and marks a record high since the start of the economic crisis 10 years ago, in 2008. This is the picture that emerges from the figures on migration to January 1, 2018, as released by the National Statistics Institute (INE).
Some 532,482 foreigners established their residence in Spain in 2017, up 28% over the previous year. This led to an increase in the population for the second consecutive year, to a total of 46,659,302 people on January 1 2018, up by 132,263 over the previous year.
Spain returns to being country of immigration
Spain has returned to being an attractive country for immigrants with a positive migration balance - namely the difference between arrivals and departures - for the second year running.Last year there were 164,604 more arrivals than departures, compared to 87,422 in 2016. The foreign arrivals have made up for the country's negative population balance.
Of the 532,482 people who immigrated to Spain in 2017, nearly 15% were Spanish and 58% were born overseas. On the other hand 367,482 left the country, up 12% over the previous year. "The 532.482 arrivals represent the highest figure registered since 2008, when there were nearly 600,000," INE deputy director general Jorge Vega is quoted as saying. The migration balance increased by 51.9%, to reach 174.231 people, and was positive for the third consecutive year. Last year 40.413 arrivals were from Morocco, 36.778 from Colombia and 31.468 from Venezuela. Italy stood at fifth place with 22.160 arrivals. Madrid and Catalonia registered the highest migration balances, followed by the Canary islands.Conversely, Murcia, which has a large foreign population, was the only region to register a negative migration balance.
Economic emigration down
Fewer Spanish nationals are emigrating for economic reasons. The migration balance was down by 9,627 in 2017 with respect to the previous year. "The balance of Spaniards born in Spain who emigrate each year and those who return to their country of origin is falling," explains Carmen Gonzalez of UNED university."The number of emigrants is stable at around 50,000 people a year, but they are mostly second-generation immigrants, children who have acquired Spanish citizenship and leave the country with their parents. The case of the young Spaniard who emigrates in search of employment is now less frequent."