Spain’s Social Security system ended 2025 with a record number of foreign workers affiliated, exceeding 3.1 million contributors. Since the labour market reform came into force, more than 800,000 additional foreign workers have joined the system, confirming a sustained upward trend.

Over the past twelve months alone, foreign employment has grown by around 208,000 people, while the cumulative increase since December 2021 exceeds 815,000. Seasonally adjusted data show a steady rise throughout the year, with foreign affiliation remaining above three million since last summer.

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Foreign workers drive Social Security affiliation to record highs in 2025

Foreign workers now account for 14.1% of total contributors, a share that continues to rise. Compared to December 2019, affiliation among non-Spanish workers has increased by nearly 45%, underlining their structural role in Spain’s labour market.

In terms of gender, almost 1.8 million affiliated foreign workers are men, while over 1.3 million are women, who already represent 43% of the total and have grown by around 6% year on year. Nearly 30% of foreign workers come from other EU countries. Morocco remains the main country of origin, followed by Romania, Colombia, Venezuela, Italy and China.

Workers from Venezuela show the strongest growth over the past year, with an increase of more than 23%. Regionally, the most notable rises have been recorded in Asturias, Extremadura and Galicia, where the proportion of foreign workers is still below the national average.

Foreign labour plays a crucial role in sectors such as Hospitality, Agriculture and Construction, while its presence is also expanding rapidly in higher value-added activities, including finance, healthcare, science and technology. At the same time, the number of self-employed foreign workers has reached a new record of almost 500,000, growing far faster than self-employment overall.

This expansion has gone hand in hand with improvements in job quality, reflected in a sharp rise in permanent contracts and a substantial reduction in temporary employment since the labour reform.