Spain’s Ministry of the Interior started the new year by publishing consolidated figures that show a steep fall in irregular maritime arrivals during 2025. Nationwide, 35,935 people reached Spanish territory without authorisation—40 % fewer than in 2024—but the most dramatic change occurred on the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands, where arrivals plummeted by almost 60 % to 17,555.
Officials attribute the improvement to a three-pronged strategy rolled out last January: 1) joint sea patrols and returns agreements with Mauritania and Senegal; 2) EU-funded surveillance assets managed by the new Atlantic Monitoring Centre in Las Palmas; and 3) pilot “talent-partnership” schemes that channel seasonal workers into legal pathways such as the GECCO agricultural programme. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska insisted that “robust control plus legal alternatives” is reducing the incentive for dangerous crossings and saving lives.
Businesses and travellers adjusting their mobility plans in light of these policy shifts can streamline paperwork through VisaHQ, which offers real-time guidance on Spanish entry requirements, electronic applications and courier services for work and residence permits; more information is available at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
![Spain Reports 60 % Drop in Irregular Arrivals to Canary Islands in 2025]()
For corporate mobility managers the data matter because the Canary route has long been used by sub-Saharan migrants who eventually move to mainland Spain and other EU states, sometimes entering the shadow economy. A lower pressure on reception facilities should free up administrative capacity at regional immigration offices, potentially shortening processing times for legal work and residence permits in 2026.
Airlines and tour operators serving Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura also stand to benefit. Fewer maritime rescues mean less air-space congestion for search-and-rescue sorties and a lower likelihood that airports will be repurposed for humanitarian operations at short notice—a risk that forced several flight diversions during 2023-24.
Companies contemplating GECCO hires should still plan ahead. Quotas for 2026 will be released in February and demand is expected to exceed supply after the positive trial results. Employers are advised to prepare digital applications early and budget for the obligatory return-ticket guarantee at the end of the harvest season.
Officials attribute the improvement to a three-pronged strategy rolled out last January: 1) joint sea patrols and returns agreements with Mauritania and Senegal; 2) EU-funded surveillance assets managed by the new Atlantic Monitoring Centre in Las Palmas; and 3) pilot “talent-partnership” schemes that channel seasonal workers into legal pathways such as the GECCO agricultural programme. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska insisted that “robust control plus legal alternatives” is reducing the incentive for dangerous crossings and saving lives.
Businesses and travellers adjusting their mobility plans in light of these policy shifts can streamline paperwork through VisaHQ, which offers real-time guidance on Spanish entry requirements, electronic applications and courier services for work and residence permits; more information is available at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
For corporate mobility managers the data matter because the Canary route has long been used by sub-Saharan migrants who eventually move to mainland Spain and other EU states, sometimes entering the shadow economy. A lower pressure on reception facilities should free up administrative capacity at regional immigration offices, potentially shortening processing times for legal work and residence permits in 2026.
Airlines and tour operators serving Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura also stand to benefit. Fewer maritime rescues mean less air-space congestion for search-and-rescue sorties and a lower likelihood that airports will be repurposed for humanitarian operations at short notice—a risk that forced several flight diversions during 2023-24.
Companies contemplating GECCO hires should still plan ahead. Quotas for 2026 will be released in February and demand is expected to exceed supply after the positive trial results. Employers are advised to prepare digital applications early and budget for the obligatory return-ticket guarantee at the end of the harvest season.
