Spain foreign workers surpass 3.6 million milestone

Spain has reached a new milestone in its labor market, with the number of foreign workers enrolled in Social Security surpassing 3.6 million for the first time. As of September 2026, the country recorded an average of 3,635,979 foreign affiliates, representing approximately 16.2% of all Social Security contributors.

This figure marks an increase of 84,220 workers compared to August and 547,637 more than the previous year. Total Social Security affiliation also reached a high, averaging 22,437,553 affiliates in September.

Sectoral data indicates that the construction industry led annual employment growth at 6.9%. Other notable growth areas included real estate activities at 5.9% and arts, sports, and entertainment at 5.3%. Within the General Regime, agriculture, livestock, forestry, and fishing saw an 8.6% increase, while construction grew by 8.1%. Recent breakdowns show that foreign workers maintain a significant presence in hospitality (33.6%), agriculture (28.1%), and construction (27%).