Record number of foreigners working in Catalonia
The number of foreign workers employed has almost doubled in the last decade
Barcelona2025 was a record-breaking year for the Catalan labor market, thanks in part to the influx of foreign workers. This group ended the year with a total of 697,103 registered with Social Security, the highest figure ever recorded for a year-end and 4.2% higher than in 2024. According to figures published this Friday by the Spanish Ministry of Labor, the number of these workers has increased by 368,406 over the last decade (+88.9%).
Thus, employees born outside of Spain now represent 18% of those affiliated with the social security system in Catalonia, compared to 12% ten years ago, an increase of six percentage points. Among these citizens, the most numerous are from non-EU countries (502,899 people), accounting for 72% of foreign workers, while the remaining 28% corresponds to 194,203 EU workers. Looking at the nationality of foreign affiliates living in Catalonia, the largest group is Moroccan, with 84,279 people, followed by Italian (61,770) and Romanian (46,799). Among non-EU citizens, after Morocco, the second country with the most affiliates is Colombia (38,906); and the third, China (34,529).
Even so, the largest increase in the last year was among Venezuelans, with an 11.8% rise to 27,328, coinciding with the latest waves of migration from this Latin American country. In the Community of Madrid, governed by Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the increase in employed Venezuelans was almost double that, at 19.2%, making them the second largest nationality group, with 76,364 people. Regarding EU workers, after Italy and Romania, the most numerous in Catalonia are French (23,800), followed by Germans (12,408) and Portuguese (11,177). In the last decade, the number of EU citizens employed has grown by 62.4%, while the number of non-EU citizens has more than doubled (102%).
By sector, the largest number of foreign workers in Catalonia are in commerce (89,094), hospitality (81,338), manufacturing (62,303), and construction (11,647). Additionally, there are 22,264 foreigners registered with the Social Security system for domestic workers and 14,212 registered with the agricultural system. Furthermore, it's worth noting that 15% of this group are self-employed, totaling 107,599 people.
Increase in Venezuelans
Across Spain, Social Security ended 2025 with 3,085,477 foreign affiliates, almost 230,000 more than in the previous twelve months, an increase of 7.1%. Over the last decade, this group has grown by 89.5%, while the system as a whole has increased by 25%. In fact, foreign workers now represent 14.1% of all contributors, six-tenths of a percentage point more than a year ago. "The 2025 figures demonstrate that the contribution of foreign nationals is structural and crucial for job growth, the sustainability of the pension system, and the shared prosperity of our country," remarked the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, Elma Saiz.
Among the different nationalities, Venezuelan workers saw the largest increase in the last year across the country, with 215,735 registered workers, representing 40,614 more than in December 2024, a 23.2% increase. The second largest increase in absolute terms went to Colombia, with 28,929 new registered workers, and the third to Morocco, with an increase of 26,839. The African country is the country of origin for the majority of foreign nationals registered with Social Security overall, with 373,436 contributors, followed by Romania (336,530), Colombia (250,248), Venezuela (215,735), Italy (204,713), Italy (204,713), Italy (204,713), Italy (204,713), Italy (101,144), and Ukraine (78,456).
In the last year, the growth in foreign employment has been particularly strong in Asturias (+21.5%), Extremadura (+14.9%), and Galicia (+14.7%), autonomous communities where, according to the Spanish government, foreign workers represent a significant portion of the total number of contributors. "Spain is a welcoming country, but it is also a country that attracts talent, effort, and entrepreneurship. Foreigners choose our country to live, work, and contribute to the common good," Saiz emphasized.
Foreign workers represent 28.8% of those affiliated with the hospitality sector, 26% with agriculture, and 23.3% with construction. In any case, the Spanish government wanted to emphasize that "not only are more jobs being created, but they are also of higher quality": its argument is that full-time, permanent contracts for foreign workers have been the most prevalent since 2021.