Spain ranks among top five choices in developed countries after welcoming 368,000 new permanent immigrants in 2024
The OECD has said that foreign workers are essential to the country for boosting employment and the economy, especially for filling vacancies in sectors such as healthcare, construction and agriculture
Spain once again finds itself on the list of the OECD's major migration hubs, now ranking in the top five. In 2024, the country welcomed 368,000 new permanent immigrants, representing a growth of over 50% compared to pre-pandemic levels. The Paris-based organisation notes that the arrival of foreign workers is one of the factors helping to maintain employment and growth in European economies - including Spain - that are increasingly affected by their aging workforce.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has just released its 2025 report on migratory patterns. The 'International Migration Outlook 2025' highlights that OECD labour markets remain "tight", with labour shortages in sectors such as healthcare, construction and agriculture. While migration alone cannot solve the demographic problem, "it can play a key role in mitigating its impact", the report stresses. Spain ranks fifth among those countries with the highest immigration, behind the United States, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom.
This diagnosis aligns with another analysis completed by Airef (Spain's independent fiscal authority). This national institution, chaired by Cristina Herrero, has revised its net immigration forecast upwards: this year Spain will gain approximately 625,000 people, compared to the 400,000 projected just a few months ago. According to Airef, this massive influx of people is playing a decisive role in explaining why Spain is growing faster than the rest of the eurozone.
Between 2022 and 2025, Spain's GDP (gross domestic product) grew by 9% in real terms, compared to 1.3% for the eurozone as a whole. According to the Spanish institution, almost half of this difference is due to immigration: a larger working-age population, more jobs and increased consumer spending. In the last 12 months, the arrival of foreigners has created 190,000 new households, which translates into a direct boost to domestic demand.
Slowdown in 2026
Airef also points out that virtually all the increase in Spain's working-age population since 2022 corresponds to immigrants or people with dual nationality, who represent more than half of the new jobs created. Without this contribution, it warns, the Spanish workforce would have lost momentum.
Both the OECD and Airef agree on the one fundamental point: that immigration is proving to be a key driver of recent growth, but also that such momentum could easily cool. Airef is already forecasting that net migration will shrink to around 290,000 people from 2026 onwards, as housing prices rise across the country and the effect of EU funds diminishes.
The OECD recommends that Spain takes advantage of the current situation to strengthen policies that attract talent and facilitate the integration of newcomers into the labour market. In its opinion, speeding up the recognition of qualifications from overseas and offering better training opportunities will be key for Spain and the rest of Europe to continue growing in an era of rapidly aging populations.
