Spain recorded 1,370 irregular migrant arrivals between 1 and 15 January 2026, a drop of 60.4 % compared with the same period last year, according to the Interior Ministry’s first migration bulletin of the year. Maritime entries fell particularly sharply—down 65 % to 1,194 people aboard 27 small boats—after cooperative patrols with Senegal and Mauritania were stepped up on the Atlantic “Canary Route”. (europapress.es)
The figures mark the continuation of a trend that began in late 2025, when overall irregular arrivals fell 42.6 % year-on-year. The Canary Islands, once the epicentre of the crisis, counted just 718 new arrivals so far this year, 78 % fewer than in 2025. By contrast, Peninsular Spain and the Balearic Islands saw a 156 % jump, reflecting the displacement of smuggling networks toward shorter western Mediterranean crossings. Analysts at the Real Instituto Elcano warn that if weather improves in spring the numbers could rebound unless maritime surveillance budgets are maintained. (europapress.es)
For businesses and individual travellers trying to keep pace with Spain’s fast-evolving border environment, VisaHQ can streamline the legal side of entry. Through its dedicated Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/), the platform provides real-time visa requirements, digital application handling, and document pre-screening, helping mobility teams secure Schengen visas for employees and receive alerts if border controls tighten—minimising disruption even when migration policies shift.
![Irregular arrivals to Spain plunge 60 % in first fortnight of 2026]()
Land borders tell a different story. Ceuta and Melilla registered 176 crossings on foot—almost triple last year’s level—highlighting renewed pressure on the heavily fortified fences that separate the two enclaves from Morocco. Ceuta alone accounted for 172 of those land entries, stoking calls from local authorities for more processing staff and reception capacity. (europapress.es)
For global mobility teams the short-term impact is largely operational: fewer rescues mean less congestion in Canary Island ports and airports, easing flight connections for tourists and business travellers. However, companies with operations in Andalusia or the Balearics should monitor political sentiment; rising boat landings in those regions could trigger new local ID checks or accommodation rules similar to those enacted in the Canaries in 2023.
Practical takeaway: employers sponsoring seasonal agricultural workers should factor in potential delays if Border Police are redeployed from airports to coastal patrols. On the compliance side, irregular arrivals do not affect legal immigration channels, but heightened scrutiny of overstays is likely—make sure posted workers have up-to-date NIE certificates and register local addresses promptly.
The figures mark the continuation of a trend that began in late 2025, when overall irregular arrivals fell 42.6 % year-on-year. The Canary Islands, once the epicentre of the crisis, counted just 718 new arrivals so far this year, 78 % fewer than in 2025. By contrast, Peninsular Spain and the Balearic Islands saw a 156 % jump, reflecting the displacement of smuggling networks toward shorter western Mediterranean crossings. Analysts at the Real Instituto Elcano warn that if weather improves in spring the numbers could rebound unless maritime surveillance budgets are maintained. (europapress.es)
For businesses and individual travellers trying to keep pace with Spain’s fast-evolving border environment, VisaHQ can streamline the legal side of entry. Through its dedicated Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/), the platform provides real-time visa requirements, digital application handling, and document pre-screening, helping mobility teams secure Schengen visas for employees and receive alerts if border controls tighten—minimising disruption even when migration policies shift.
Land borders tell a different story. Ceuta and Melilla registered 176 crossings on foot—almost triple last year’s level—highlighting renewed pressure on the heavily fortified fences that separate the two enclaves from Morocco. Ceuta alone accounted for 172 of those land entries, stoking calls from local authorities for more processing staff and reception capacity. (europapress.es)
For global mobility teams the short-term impact is largely operational: fewer rescues mean less congestion in Canary Island ports and airports, easing flight connections for tourists and business travellers. However, companies with operations in Andalusia or the Balearics should monitor political sentiment; rising boat landings in those regions could trigger new local ID checks or accommodation rules similar to those enacted in the Canaries in 2023.
Practical takeaway: employers sponsoring seasonal agricultural workers should factor in potential delays if Border Police are redeployed from airports to coastal patrols. On the compliance side, irregular arrivals do not affect legal immigration channels, but heightened scrutiny of overstays is likely—make sure posted workers have up-to-date NIE certificates and register local addresses promptly.
