Spain’s status as one of the world’s leading migrant–receiving countries remains intact, but the pace of new arrivals slowed slightly last year. According to the OECD’s freshly-released International Migration Outlook 2025, Spain admitted 368,000 new permanent immigrants in 2024, 1.8 % fewer than in 2023. Even with the dip, inflows are still 50 % higher than pre-pandemic 2019 levels, keeping Spain in fifth place among OECD destinations behind the United States, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom.
The report highlights how Latin American and North-African nationals continued to drive growth: Colombia, Morocco and Venezuela topped the ranking of origin countries, while arrivals from Peru also accelerated. Family reunification remained the principal channel (39 %), followed by EU free movement (32 %) and labour migration (17 %). Spain also logged a record 164,000 asylum requests—up 2.2 % year-on-year—underlining the country’s dual role as both economic magnet and humanitarian haven.
![OECD report shows 1.8 % drop in new permanent migrants to Spain in 2024]()
Policymakers will take comfort from evidence that recent regulatory reforms are bedding in. The new Immigration Regulation, adopted in November 2024 and entering into force in May 2025, simplifies renewals, unifies residence-and-work permits and expands student work rights, all aimed at shortening processing times and boosting labour-market integration. The OECD notes that Spain’s gender employment gap among migrants has narrowed markedly, although temporary contracts and housing affordability remain structural challenges.
Looking forward, the government plans to legalise up to 900,000 undocumented residents over the next three years and has abolished the “Golden Visa”. Employers in agriculture, hospitality and construction—sectors that rely heavily on foreign labour—are already lobbying for more flexible seasonal-worker quotas under the revamped GECCO order. For human-resources teams, the key takeaway is that Spain remains open, but talent-acquisition timelines need to factor in slightly lower arrival volumes and evolving permit categories.
For mobility managers, the OECD figures underscore the importance of maintaining robust destination-services capacity, especially language training and housing support in second-tier cities that are absorbing a growing share of newcomers. Companies should also monitor forthcoming “Plan de Integración e Interculturalidad 2025-27”, which is expected to introduce new corporate diversity obligations.
The report highlights how Latin American and North-African nationals continued to drive growth: Colombia, Morocco and Venezuela topped the ranking of origin countries, while arrivals from Peru also accelerated. Family reunification remained the principal channel (39 %), followed by EU free movement (32 %) and labour migration (17 %). Spain also logged a record 164,000 asylum requests—up 2.2 % year-on-year—underlining the country’s dual role as both economic magnet and humanitarian haven.
Policymakers will take comfort from evidence that recent regulatory reforms are bedding in. The new Immigration Regulation, adopted in November 2024 and entering into force in May 2025, simplifies renewals, unifies residence-and-work permits and expands student work rights, all aimed at shortening processing times and boosting labour-market integration. The OECD notes that Spain’s gender employment gap among migrants has narrowed markedly, although temporary contracts and housing affordability remain structural challenges.
Looking forward, the government plans to legalise up to 900,000 undocumented residents over the next three years and has abolished the “Golden Visa”. Employers in agriculture, hospitality and construction—sectors that rely heavily on foreign labour—are already lobbying for more flexible seasonal-worker quotas under the revamped GECCO order. For human-resources teams, the key takeaway is that Spain remains open, but talent-acquisition timelines need to factor in slightly lower arrival volumes and evolving permit categories.
For mobility managers, the OECD figures underscore the importance of maintaining robust destination-services capacity, especially language training and housing support in second-tier cities that are absorbing a growing share of newcomers. Companies should also monitor forthcoming “Plan de Integración e Interculturalidad 2025-27”, which is expected to introduce new corporate diversity obligations.
