On 1 July 2026 Spain had 49,801,559 inhabitants, and almost one in five of them was born abroad. According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), there are 7,437,543 foreign nationals in the country and 10,291,807 people born abroad: the difference is explained by the fact that some newcomers have already acquired Spanish citizenship. Below: how many immigrants there are in Spain, where they come from, where they live and where Russians stand among them.
How many immigrants live in Spain
| Indicator as of 1 July 2026 | People | Share of population |
|---|---|---|
| Total population of Spain | 49,801,559 | 100% |
| Born abroad | 10,291,807 | 20.7% |
| Foreign nationals | 7,437,543 | 14.9% |
Spain’s population is growing only thanks to people born abroad: the number of people born in Spain itself fell by 20,367 in the second quarter of 2026, while the number of foreigners rose by 87,197. In the year to 1 July 2026 the country’s population grew by 444,205 and reached an all-time high.
Where immigrants come from
Most new immigrants in the second quarter of 2026 came from Latin America and Morocco. The largest groups among foreigners already living in Spain are nationals of Morocco (968,999 people as of 1 January 2025) and Colombia (676,534).
Among those who left Spain in the same quarter, the largest groups were nationals of Colombia (11,500), Morocco (10,900) and Venezuela (5,900): some newcomers return home or move on elsewhere.
Where immigrants live
The share of foreign nationals varies greatly by region. According to data for the start of 2026, it is highest in the Balearic Islands at 21.8%, followed by the Valencian Community (20.5%) and Catalonia (19.3%), then Madrid (16.9%), Murcia (16.4%) and Aragon (15.7%). Inland Spain and the north are less affected by immigration. How the regions differ in rent, incomes and Russian-speaking communities is shown in the ranking of Spanish cities.
Russians and Russian speakers
According to INE, 110,665 Russian nationals lived in Spain on 1 January 2025 — 42% more than four years earlier. Most of them live in the provinces of Alicante (22,979) and Barcelona (22,934). Together with nationals of Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and other post-Soviet countries, the Russian-speaking community exceeds 380,000 people. More on the geography of the diaspora in our article on Russians in Spain.
How immigrants obtain the right to live in Spain
EU citizens live in Spain freely; everyone else needs a residence permit on a specific ground: employment, family reunification, study, remote work, passive income or arraigo (settlement). Some newcomers from Latin America acquire Spanish citizenship on a shortened timeline, which is why the statistics show more people born abroad than foreign nationals. The grounds and their requirements are collected in our overview of all the ways to get a Spanish residence permit.
Frequently asked questions
How many immigrants are there in Spain?
On 1 July 2026, 10,291,807 residents of Spain were born abroad — 20.7% of the population — and there were 7,437,543 foreign nationals, or 14.9%. INE data.
Where do most immigrants in Spain come from?
Among new arrivals in the second quarter of 2026, the largest groups were nationals of Colombia, Venezuela and Morocco. The largest groups of foreigners already living in the country are nationals of Morocco and Colombia.
Which region of Spain has the most foreigners?
By share of the population, the Balearic Islands, where foreign nationals make up 21.8%, followed by the Valencian Community and Catalonia.
How many Russians live in Spain?
According to INE, 110,665 Russian nationals lived in Spain on 1 January 2025, most of them in the provinces of Alicante and Barcelona.
Sources
- INE — Estadística Continua de Población, 1 July 2026 (provisional data).
- INE — Censo Anual de Población, 1 January 2025: number of nationals of Morocco, Colombia and Russia.
- Share of foreigners by region — based on INE data.
