ACRONYMS National Statistics Institute
26 September 2024

Annual Population Census

1 January 2023

Main results

  • According to the annual census as at 1 January 2023, 23.6% (1,932,891 people) of the 8,204,206 residents born abroad arrived in Spain in the last two years.
  • 45.6% of those born in Ukraine who have arrived in Spain did so during 2022. This figure was 24.7%, 21.3% and 19.6%, respectively, for those born in Colombia, Peru and Honduras.
  • Among the most populated cities, Cordoba (57.7%), Murcia (55.8%) and Seville (51.5%) had the largest percentages of population that have always resided in the same municipality since they were born. At the opposite extreme were L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (18.4%), Granada (34.3%) and Palma (34.6%).
  • As of 1 January 2022, foreign nationals accounted for 42.0% of Domestic employees, 37.4% of Agricultural, forestry and fishing workers and 20.9% of Salaried restaurant and catering workers.
  • Among the main cities, Ejido, Lorca and Roquetas de Mar had the highest proportions of workers in basic occupations, above 25%. While Pozuelo de Alarcón, Boadilla del Monte and Sant Cugat del Vallés had the highest proportions of high-level occupations.

The INE expands today the information of the annual population censuses for 2023 and 2022 with variables related to the years of arrival in the various territorial regions (Spain, autonomous communities, provinces, municipalities) and their previous places of residence.

The 2022 Annual Population Census information includes other variables relating to employed persons, such as occupation, professional situation (salaried, self-employed, etc.), activity of the establishment and municipality where the work is located.

Year of arrival in Spain

As of 1 January 2023, of the 8,204,206 residents born abroad, 23.6% arrived in Spain in the previous two years and 14.4% in the last year. One out of every three (33.6%) arrived during the decade 2001-2010, 29.9% between 2011 and 2020 and 12.9% before 2001.

Among the main countries, 45.6% of those born in Ukraine who came to live in Spain did do in 2022. This figure was 24.7%, 21.3% and 19.6%, respectively, for those born in Colombia, Peru and Honduras.

In contrast, those born in Ecuador (5.6%), Bolivia (5.9%) and the United Kingdom (6.8%) recorded the lowest percentages of arrivals in 2022.

73.7%, 68.7% and 65.0% of those born in Ecuador, Bolivia and France, respectively, arrived in Spain before 2011. In the case of France, 24.9% arrived before 1981.

Meanwhile, of the 1.026.371 people born in Morroco, 11.3% arrived in 2022 and 9.4% in 2021. These percentages were 8.3% and 7.4% for those born in Romania, who arrived mostly (59.2%) in the decade 2001 to 2010.

Year of arrival in Spain of the population born abroad. Main countries

Previous residence

According to the census, as at 1 January 2023, 36.0% of the population (17,297,303 people) had always resided in the same municipality since birth. 28.7% came from another municipality in the same province.

The relationship between the place of residence and the previous residence varied among the main cities. Thus, Cordoba (57.7%), Murcia (55.8%) and Seville (51.5%) had the largest percentages of population that have always resided in the same municipality since they were born. At the opposite extreme were L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (18.4%), Granada (34.3%) and Palma (34.6%).

25.5% of residents in Madrid came from a different autonomous community, 23.6% of the residents in Barcelona came from abroad and 20.8% of the residents in Valencia came from a different municipality in the same province.

Relationship between current and previous place of residence. Main cities. As of 1 January 2023

Percentage

Employed persons

As of 1 January 2022, the most frequent occupations were Professionals in pre-school, primary, secondary and post-secondary education (with 5.0% of the total employed), Assistants in shops and department stores (4.9%) and Salaried workers in restaurant services (4.1%).

By sex and among the top occupations, 94.8% of Workers in structural construction projects and similar, 92.7% of Vehicle drivers for urban or road transport, and 71.8% of Agricultural, forestry and fishing workers were men. In contrast, women accounted for 95.7% of Domestic employees, 82.7% of Health services and personal care workers, and 78.3% of the Other cleaning personnel.

Employed people as at 1 January 2022 by sex and nationality. Main occupations

By nationality, foreign nationals accounted for 42.0% of Domestic employees, 37.4% of Agricultural, forestry and fishing workers and 20.9% of Salaried restaurant and catering workers.

By academic background, as at 1 January 2022, 29.3% of Restaurant, personal, protection services workers and sales staff had a higher education qualification. This percentage fell to 16.0% and to 15.9%, respectively, for Qualified workers in the agricultural, livestock, forestry and fishing sector and in Basic occupations.

Meanwhile, 3.4% of Directors and managers had primary education qualifications or lower and 13.1% had only completed the first stage of secondary education or similar.

Among the leading cities, Pozuelo de Alarcón (63.5%) and Boadilla del Monte (61.8%) – both in Madrid – and Sant Cugat del Vallès (61.2%) – in Barcelona - had the biggest proportions of ‘high’ level occupations (Directors/managersand Middle or higher-level technical professionals).

For its part, El Ejido (Almería), Lorca (Murcia) and Roquetas de Mar (Almería), with 36.6%, 29.2% and 25.3%, respectively, had the largest percentages of basic occupations.

Provincial capitals and municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants by percentage of the population in high-level occupations and basic occupations. As of 1 January 2022

Percentage

Data revisions and updates

The data are definitive. All results of this operation are available on INEBase.

Methodological note

The 2021 Population and Housing Census was the last of the ten-year censuses in Spain and the first to be carried out entirely based on official public administration records, without surveying any households. This new methodology makes it possible to have census information available every year, in the case of the population, and every three or four years in the case of households.

The first results of the Annual Population Census will be published in December of each year and will provide the official figures and the basic demographic characteristics of the population resident in Spain on 1 January of the same year.

The 2022 Annual Population Census information is completed today with variables relating to employed persons, such as occupation, professional situation (salaried, self-employed, etc.), activity of the establishment and municipality where they work. This is in addition to the demographic information of the 2023 and 2022 Annual Population Censuses with the years of arrival and previous residence.

Type of operation:
Statistics with an annual periodicity, based on administrative data.
Population scope:
population resident in Spain, with the population resident in a specific geographical area being understood to be those persons who, on the reference date, have established their habitual residence therein.
Geographical scope:
national, autonomous communities and cities, provinces and islands, municipalities, districts and census sections.
Reference period for the results:
1 January 2022 for the information on people in employment and 1 January 2023 and 2022 for the years of arrival in Spain and previous places of residence.

For more information, you can access the methodology and the standardised methodological report.

INE statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for European Statistics. More information on Quality at INE and the Code of Best Practices.

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