- Basic indicators of Catalonia
- Demography · Society
- Population
- Migrations
- External migrations
- Immigrations
External migrations. Immigrations. By continent of origin
| Value | Percentage (%) | Variation (%) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spaniards | Foreigners | Total | Spaniards | Foreigners | Total | Spaniards | Foreigners | Total | |
| Rest of EU | 5,812 | 33,573 | 39,385 | 19.4 | 13.6 | 14.3 | -10.9 | -1.5 | -3.0 |
| Rest of Europe | 4,431 | 19,326 | 23,757 | 14.8 | 7.9 | 8.6 | -9.3 | -19.9 | -18.1 |
| Africa | 1,679 | 48,527 | 50,206 | 5.6 | 19.7 | 18.2 | -8.4 | 15.4 | 14.4 |
| America | 15,440 | 108,025 | 123,465 | 51.4 | 43.9 | 44.7 | -4.1 | -2.8 | -3.0 |
| Asia and Oceania | 2,668 | 36,565 | 39,233 | 8.9 | 14.9 | 14.2 | 4.5 | 24.5 | 22.9 |
| Not stated | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| Total | 30,030 | 246,016 | 276,046 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | -5.8 | 2.2 | 1.2 |
| Source: Idescat, based on the INE Migrations and Changes of Residence Statistics. | |||||||||
| (..) Confidential data, low reliability or not available. | |||||||||
| Value | Percentage (%) | Variation (%) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spaniards | Foreigners | Total | Spaniards | Foreigners | Total | Spaniards | Foreigners | Total | |
| Rest of EU | 27,635 | 171,566 | 199,201 | 19.1 | 15.0 | 15.5 | -12.2 | -3.3 | -4.7 |
| Rest of Europe | 18,055 | 86,228 | 104,283 | 12.5 | 7.5 | 8.1 | -13.7 | -10.4 | -11.0 |
| Africa | 8,142 | 208,599 | 216,741 | 5.6 | 18.2 | 16.8 | -11.7 | 20.3 | 18.7 |
| America | 81,903 | 590,966 | 672,869 | 56.7 | 51.6 | 52.2 | -0.5 | 2.0 | 1.7 |
| Asia and Oceania | 8,600 | 86,868 | 95,468 | 6.0 | 7.6 | 7.4 | -5.0 | 21.1 | 18.2 |
| Not stated | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| Total | 144,335 | 1,144,227 | 1,288,562 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | -5.6 | 4.2 | 3.0 |
| Source: INE. Migrations and Changes of Residence Statistics | |||||||||
| (..) Confidential data, low reliability or not available. | |||||||||
Last update: April 9, 2026.
Methodological note
Since 2005, the Residential Variation Statistics (EVR) by INE provides information on emigrations abroad.
As of 2006, part of the emigration abroad recorded by the EVR corresponds to removals due to expiry. These removals arise because of the legislative amendment introduced by Organic Law 14/2003 on foreigners to Law 7/1985, of 2 April, regulating the bases of local regime, which establishes that non-EU foreigners without authorization of permanent residence have the obligation to renew their registration every two years. If this renewal does not take place, town councils must declare the registration expired.
For citizens of the European Union (and non-EU citizens with a permanent residence permit), a new residency verification procedure was established in 2009, the effectiveness of which, as it is not a procedure established by law, is conditioned to the actions of town councils.
For further information about these statistics, you may check the methodology.