Spain shifts from emigrant to major immigrant destination over 35 years

Over the past three and a half decades Spain has transformed from a net exporter of people to one of the continent’s leading immigration destinations. In 1990 more Spaniards lived abroad (1.4 million) than foreign‑born residents in the country. By 2024 that balance reversed, with 8.9 million people born outside Spain residing there while only 1.6 million Spaniards live abroad.

The change reflects economic growth, demographic pressures and geopolitical factors. Spain’s fertility rate now stands at 1.12 children per woman, well below the 2.1 replacement level, creating a demographic contraction that makes migration essential for sustaining the welfare state. In 2023 the country recorded a net migration gain of more than 642 000 people, one of the highest annual balances in the last twenty years.

The figures are drawn from the International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA) and Spain’s migration statistics (INE), visualised in an interactive Sankey diagram by Our World in Data. The graphic highlights long‑term accumulation of migrant flows rather than yearly spikes, underscoring the cumulative impact of migration on Spain’s population structure.