Spain’s Social Security system continues to record sustained growth in the number of foreign workers affiliated to the labour system. In February 2026, the total reached 3,076,841 foreign contributors in the original series, following the incorporation of 202,443 additional affiliates over the previous twelve months. This represents an annual increase of more than 7%, confirming the growing importance of international workers within the Spanish labour market.
Since February 2022, the number of foreign workers registered with Social Security has increased by more than 800,000 people. This expansion reflects the positive evolution of employment in Spain and highlights the role played by international labour in job creation. In fact, 43.7% of the jobs created since the implementation of the labour reform correspond to workers of foreign origin.
Monthly data also shows continued growth. Compared with the previous month, the number of foreign affiliates increased by 38,683 workers. As a result of this upward trend, foreign workers now represent 14.2% of all Social Security contributors in Spain, an increase of six-tenths compared with the same period last year.
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Social Security surpasses 3,076,000 foreign affiliates after adding more than 200,000 in the last year
When adjusting the data for seasonal and calendar effects, the number of foreign workers affiliated with Social Security reaches 3,181,111, after adding 22,221 new contributors in the most recent month. These figures demonstrate the consistent contribution of international workers to employment growth and to the sustainability of the Social Security system.
In terms of demographic composition, nearly 1.8 million foreign affiliates are men, while more than 1.3 million are women. Female workers account for 42.6% of the total foreign workforce registered with Social Security. Approximately 30% of these affiliates come from European Union countries, reflecting the diversity of national origins within Spain’s labour market.
Among the nationalities with the highest number of contributors, Morocco remains the leading country with 375,845 workers registered in the Social Security system. It is followed by Romania with 336,214, Colombia with 252,869 and Venezuela with 213,476. Other countries with significant representation include Italy, China, Peru and Ukraine, illustrating the broad international composition of the Spanish workforce.
The fastest growth over the past year has been recorded among Venezuelan workers, whose number increased by 35,289 compared with February 2025. Over the last decade, the number of Venezuelan nationals registered with Social Security has multiplied ninefold. Significant growth has also been observed among workers from Colombia, whose presence has quadrupled, and Peru, which has increased by a factor of 2.5.
Foreign workers also play a crucial role across several sectors within the General Social Security Regime. In hospitality, they account for 28.9% of affiliated workers, while in agriculture they represent 26.8%. In the construction sector their share reaches 24%. Their participation is also notable in transportation with 17.7% and administrative activities with 17.4%. In special employment systems the proportion is even higher, representing 42.4% in domestic work and 37.9% in the agricultural system.
Job stability among foreign workers has also improved significantly. Currently, 88.7% of foreign affiliates hold permanent contracts, a slightly higher percentage than that recorded among Spanish workers. This represents a substantial improvement compared with the 2017–2021 period, when the average share of permanent contracts among foreign workers was 58.9%.
At the same time, the rate of temporary employment among foreign workers has reached historically low levels. Only 11.3% of foreign affiliates hold temporary contracts, a figure that is even lower than the rate observed among Spanish workers. This marks a significant change compared with the 41.1% average recorded before the labour reform.
Self-employment among foreign workers has also expanded considerably. In February 2026, the number of foreign self-employed workers exceeded 500,000, reaching 500,037 individuals. This represents a 6% increase compared with the same month in 2025, a growth rate notably higher than the overall increase in the self-employment regime, which stands at 1.1%.
In addition, foreign entrepreneurs are increasingly active in highly qualified sectors. Activities related to telecommunications, computer programming, publishing and digital content production are registering growing participation from self-employed workers originating from other countries. Over the last year, foreign self-employed workers in telecommunications have increased by 10.7%, while those engaged in publishing-related activities have grown by 9.22%.
Overall, these indicators confirm the consolidation of foreign employment as a key component of Spain’s labour market, contributing significantly to economic activity, employment growth and the development of strategic sectors.