They account for 13.8% of the total number of Social Security contributors, six-tenths of a percentage point more than last year. Since the implementation of the labour reform, 44.1% of the employment created in the last three years has been by foreign workers.

Social Security registered 2,971,811 foreign affiliates in February, after discounting seasonality and the calendar effect, after adding 15,804 employed persons. Over the last twelve months, the number of people employed from other countries has increased by 7.6%. This is a new high in seasonally adjusted foreign employment, in line with the trend that has been maintained throughout 2024.

The number of foreign affiliates increased by 15,804 employed persons in February, of which 4,204 were self-employed

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Since the implementation of the labour reform in 2022, the system has seen an increase of 604,592 workers from other countries, i.e. an increase of 26.6%. This means that 44.1% of the employment created in these last three years corresponds to foreign workers.

In the context of overall enrolment, foreign workers account for 13.8% of the total number of employed, six-tenths more than a year ago.

Average enrolment
In average terms and without seasonal adjustment, i.e. in the original series, Social Security registered 2,874,398 affiliates from other countries, 202,851 more in the last year and 31,369 more than in January.

This is the highest number of total foreign contributors to Social Security, both in the original series and seasonally adjusted for February.

Self-employed workers
With regard to the distribution by regimes, the increase in self-employed workers from other countries is worth noting. In the last month alone, there has been an increase of 4,204 foreign workers in the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers (RETA).

In February, foreign workers accounted for 90% of the rate of increase in the RETA over the last year (1.1% of the 1.2% of the total). Specifically, there are 471,559 workers registered in this special regime, an increase of 8.2% in year-on-year terms, and they represent 16.4% of the total number of self-employed workers in Spain.

The increase in the number of foreign self-employed in the last year has been particularly pronounced in the Information and communications sector, which has grown by 34.5%. Also of note is Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities, which has seen a 17.3% increase in the number of self-employed workers.

General Scheme
In line with the situation of native workers, 83.4% of foreign affiliates were enrolled in the General Social Security Scheme, reaching 2,398,066 workers.

In the last 12 months, foreign enrolment in this scheme has grown by around 7.5%, and in seven sectors in particular: Transport and Storage (24.9%), Water Supply (11.9%), Administrative Activities (9.7%), Health Activities (9.6%), Construction (9.4%), Manufacturing Industry (9.3%) and Accommodation (9.10%).

The year-on-year growth in foreign enrolment is also very notable in high value-added activities, with notable growth in Financial Activities (9%), Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities (7.6%) and Information and Communications, which increased by 7%.

The distribution by sector in both the General Regime and the Self-Employed Workers’ Regime shows a growing diversification.