New figures released by EU border agency Frontex and reported by WAM on 20 February show overall irregular border crossings into the EU fell 60 % year-on-year in January 2026. The steepest decline—79 %—was on the Western African maritime route that lands migrants in Spain’s Canary Islands: only 959 arrivals versus 4,752 in January 2025.
Officials attribute the plunge to winter storms and increased joint patrols under Operation Hera, although NGOs caution that death tolls remain high: 452 people died on Mediterranean routes last month, up from 93 a year earlier.
![Frontex Data: Western African Route to Spain’s Canary Islands Sees 79 % Drop in January Arrivals]()
For Spain the data ease immediate pressure on reception centres in Lanzarote and Gran Canaria and free up Guardia Civil resources, but analysts warn numbers could rebound sharply once seas calm in spring. The government’s upcoming mass-regularisation scheme may also act as a pull-factor later in the year.
If your organisation needs to move personnel legally through Spain while migration rules and enforcement evolve, VisaHQ can simplify the paperwork. Their portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) walks travellers through Schengen visa requirements, offers document checklists, and provides expedited processing options—helpful for companies that must adapt quickly to changing border dynamics.
Businesses sending staff or equipment via the Canaries—frequent staging points for West-Africa projects—should monitor capacity at key ports and airports, which can become congested when rescue operations spike. They should also review security protocols for crews transiting maritime zones that remain risky despite the current lull.
Officials attribute the plunge to winter storms and increased joint patrols under Operation Hera, although NGOs caution that death tolls remain high: 452 people died on Mediterranean routes last month, up from 93 a year earlier.
For Spain the data ease immediate pressure on reception centres in Lanzarote and Gran Canaria and free up Guardia Civil resources, but analysts warn numbers could rebound sharply once seas calm in spring. The government’s upcoming mass-regularisation scheme may also act as a pull-factor later in the year.
If your organisation needs to move personnel legally through Spain while migration rules and enforcement evolve, VisaHQ can simplify the paperwork. Their portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) walks travellers through Schengen visa requirements, offers document checklists, and provides expedited processing options—helpful for companies that must adapt quickly to changing border dynamics.
Businesses sending staff or equipment via the Canaries—frequent staging points for West-Africa projects—should monitor capacity at key ports and airports, which can become congested when rescue operations spike. They should also review security protocols for crews transiting maritime zones that remain risky despite the current lull.
