British immigration in Spain

Last updated
British citizens in Spain and
Spaniards of British origin
Ciudadanos británicos en España y
españoles de origen británico
Flag of Spain.svg Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
Total population
British nationals
262,885 (2020) [1]
Regions with significant populations
Andalusia, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands
Languages
English, Spanish
Religion
Anglicanism, Protestantism and Catholicism
Related ethnic groups
Britons

British migration to Spain has resulted in Spain being home to one of the largest British-born populations outside the United Kingdom in the world, and the largest in Europe. Migration from the UK to Spain has increased rapidly since the late 1990s and the registered population of British nationals in Spain in 2014 was 297,229 (2014). [2] [3] After Brexit, in 2020 British nationals in Spain numbered 262,885. [1]

Contents

Demographics

Population size

In 2014, the officially registered population of British nationals in Spain was 236,669 (2014) [2] and 107,326 in 2001. [4]

Vertical bar chart of foreign population of British nationality in Spain between 1998 and 2020
British immigration in Spain
   Population (1998–2020) Foreign population in Spain of British nationality according to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística. [1]

Population distribution

According to the data collected by the INE, the distribution of Britons in Spain in 2005 was as follows: [5]

LocationPopulation
Valencian Community 82,214
Andalusia 63,472
Canary Islands 24,742
Balearic Islands 14,744
Catalonia 13,747
Region of Murcia 9,708
Other autonomies 9,564
Community of Madrid 6,650

Social issues

Research has shown that most of the British population in Spain is poorly socially integrated into Spanish society. [6] [7] [8] A survey of 340 British migrants in the Province of Málaga, for example, found that one third rarely or never met Spanish people, apart from in shops and restaurants, and that 60 per cent did not speak Spanish well. [9] A number of initiatives have been launched to improve integration of British migrants into Spanish life, including language course provision. During the Great Recession, some British people in Spain who wanted to return to the UK were unable to do so because of the difficulty of selling property in a depressed local housing market. [10] Figures published in January 2015 showed that 2,973 British nationals were in receipt of unemployment benefits in Spain, paid by the host country. [11] In order to receive an unemployment benefit in Spain, a person must be legally unemployed after making unemployment contributions at least 360 days in the last six years and be registered with the employment authorities as available for work. [12] The unemployment benefit is paid for a minimum of four months and maximum of 24 months, based on the period that the unemployed person has contributed. [13]

Education

There are multiple British international schools located in Spain. The National Association of British Schools in Spain has 52 member schools. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of Spain</span>

As of 7 November 2024, Spain had a total population of 48,946,035 The modern Kingdom of Spain arose from the accretion of several independent Iberian realms, including the Kingdoms of León, Castile, Navarre, the Crown of Aragon and Granada, all of which, together with the modern state of Portugal, were successor states to the late antique Christian Visigothic Kingdom after the Reconquista.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration to Spain</span> Ethnic group

Immigration to Spain increased significantly in the beginning of the 21st century. In 1998, immigrants accounted for 1.6% of the population, and by 2009, that number had risen to over 12%. Until 2014, the numbers were decreasing due to the economic crisis, but since 2015, immigration to Spain has increased again, especially after 2021.

Moroccans in Spain formed 16.4% of the 4,549,858 foreigners in Spain as of 1 January 2017. They are again the largest foreign group in Spain, after they were surpassed temporarily by Romanians in 2007. In 2003, they were estimated to make up about 6% of all Moroccans abroad. In 2022 the number of Moroccans increase to 1,000,000.

Pakistanis in Spain form one of the country's larger migrant communities. Their numbers began to grow rapidly in the early 2000s.

Russians in Spain form one of the country's smaller foreign communities, making up about 0.83% of all foreigners in Spain.

As of 2022, official statistics showed 265,949 Peruvian-born residents in Spain. Out of these, 143,867 were Spanish citizens and 122,082 had not yet acquired Spanish citizenship.

Romanians form the second largest group of foreigners in Spain, after Moroccans. As of 2023, there were 630,795 Romanian citizens living in Spain. Most of the immigration took place given economic reasons. The linguistic similarities between Romanian and Spanish, as well as Romanians' Latin identity, are also a reason for the country's attractiveness to Romanians.

Iranians in Spain have a history going back for over a millennium and form a minor population in modern day. They are a part of the Iranian diaspora.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulgarians in Spain</span>

Bulgarians in Spain are one of the largest communities of the Bulgarian diaspora. According to official 2019 data, they numbered 197,373, making them the tenth-largest emigrant community in Spain and the second-largest among Central and Eastern European emigrant communities.

Mexican immigration to Spain refers to the Mexican population in Spain and their Spanish-born descendants. The Mexicans living in Spain are composed primarily of students, skilled professionals, spouses of Spaniards, as well as Mexican citizens who also have Spanish nationality. In December 2008, the National Statistics Institute in Spain had 14,399 registered Mexicans within its territory, of which 7,210 hold other nationalities of the European Union or are family members of EU citizens. To this number must be added those with dual nationality, who are not in Spanish records as foreigners. Mexican and Spanish laws allow dual citizenship, and many Mexicans who have asked for it, whether they are residents in Spain as grandchildren or they are children of Spanish migrants to Mexico. In 2010, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico recorded 21,107 Mexicans living in Spain, who became the third largest Mexican community residing abroad, after the United States and Canada; and the largest Mexican community in Europe.

Unemployment benefits in Spain are contributory and non-contributory. They are part of social security system in Spain and are managed by the State Public Employment Service (SEPE). Employers and employees contribute to the unemployment contingency fund and if an unemployed person fulfills certain criteria they can claim an allowance which is based on the time they have contributed and their average wage. A non-contributory benefit is also available to those who no longer receive a contributory benefit dependent on a maximum level of income.

Uruguayans in Spain are people born in Uruguay who emigrated to Spain. As of 2022, there are over 80,000 Uruguayans living in Spain, mostly in Catalonia.

Venezuelans form one of the main immigrant groups in Spain, which is also the European country to which most Venezuelans choose to migrate because of shared language, customs and family ties. Similarly to nationals from other countries of Ibero-America, Venezuelans of origin are allowed to apply for dual Spanish citizenship after two years of legal residence in Spain. In addition, Venezuelans who are children or grandchildren of Spanish citizens can legally obtain Spanish citizenship from their countries of origin, an option open to over 3 million Venezuelans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argentines in Spain</span> Immigration from Argentina to Spain

Argentines in Spain are the largest community of Argentines abroad. In Spain, they represent one of the largest immigrant groups in the country.

The presence of a sizeable Ecuadorian in Spain community in Spain dates back to the early 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colombians in Spain</span> Ethnic group in Spain

The presence of Colombians in Spain dates back to Colombian independence from Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominicans in Spain</span> Ethnic group

Dominicans in Spain from the Dominican Republic make up about 1.66% of all foreigners in Spain, this includes immigrants and people of Dominican descent born in Spain. The first country of destination for Dominicans in Europe is Spain, and it is the country with the most Dominican migrants outside of the United States.

Italians in Spain are one the largest communities of immigrant groups in Spain, with 260,000 Italian citizens in the country, of which 143,000 were born in Italy.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Población extranjera por Nacionalidad, comunidades, Sexo y Año". Instituto Nacional de Estadística . Retrieved 2019-04-05.
  2. 1 2 End to Mediterranean dream for 90,000 Britons who left Spain last year
  3. ↑ "Revision of the Municipal Register 2014. National level Datas, Autonomous Community and Province". Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  4. ↑ "Población extranjera por sexo, país de nacionalidad y edad (hasta 75 y más)". www.ine.es.
  5. ↑ "British People in Spain: An X-ray" (PDF). Barclays IESE Barometer. November 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 September 2006. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  6. ↑ Campbell, Duncan (29 March 2011). "Most Brits in Spain say no gracias to integration". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
  7. ↑ "British pupils have most problems in adapting to schools on the Costa del Sol". Diario Sur . Retrieved 2011-12-10.
  8. ↑ "It's the British children who have the most difficulty integrating in class". Diario Sur . Retrieved 2011-12-10.
  9. ↑ "British migrants feel the strain in Spain" (PDF). The Edge. 19. Economic and Social Research Council: 4. June 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  10. ↑ Campbell, Duncan (4 December 2011). "Economic crisis: The pain in Spain". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
  11. ↑ Nardelli, Alberto; Traynor, Ian; Haddou, Leila (19 January 2015). "Revealed: thousands of Britons on benefits across EU". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  12. ↑ "Contributory Unemployment Benefit" (PDF). Spanish Public Employment Service. January 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-09-14. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  13. ↑ "Contributory Unemployment Benefit" (PDF). Spanish Public Employment Service. January 2016. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-09-14. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  14. ↑ Mansell, Warwick. "Expat guide to Spain: schools" (Archive). The Telegraph . 30 March 2010. Retrieved on 24 October 2015.

Further reading

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