The number of Spaniards living abroad reached over 2.9 million as of January 1, according to the Register of Spaniards Residing Abroad (RSRA) data.
Such a figure indicates a 4.2 per cent growth compared to the same period last year, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
Moreover, RSRA statistics revealed that the number of Spanish people residing abroad has increased over the past few years.
By continent, the most registered individuals lived in the Americas. More specifically, 58.7 per cent of Spaniards were established in the Americas, 37.7 per cent in Europe, and 3.6 per cent in other parts of the world.
The largest increases in the number of registered persons in 2023 were in the Americas (69,526 more) and Europe (43,140).
Meanwhile, foreign countries where the most Spaniards lived as of January 1, 2024, were as follows:
- Argentina (482,176)
- France (310,072)
- United States (206,278)
- United Kingdom (189,779)
- Germany (188,250)
Reasons Why Spanish People Are Moving Abroad
According to a recent article published by Okdiario, more Spanish nationals are moving abroad for better conditions or more life experience.
In recent years, Spain has become a place where it is difficult to live or create a vital project. The rising prices of essential services have meant that a salary does not go far. Family savings have come to nothing, but so have those who start from scratch.
As further reported, numerous young Spaniards want to move abroad and earn money to have a better life.
Number of Foreign Residents in Spain Increased
Although the number of Spaniards living abroad is growing, so is the number of foreigners living in Spain.
According to INE, Spain recorded over 48 million residents as of January 2023, marking a 1.26 per cent increase compared to the same period of the previous year.
Of those, nearly 42 million were of Spanish nationality, while over six million were foreign residents. The number of foreigners living in Spain marked a 10.5 per cent rise compared to the previous year.
In addition, the number of foreign residents acquiring Spanish Citizenship has also increased over the past few years.
More specifically, 181,581 foreigners residing in Spain were granted Spanish citizenship in 2022, which is 21.6 per cent more than in the previous year.
According to INE, the most common nationalities of origin among residents who acquired Spanish citizenship in 2022 were Morocco, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Dominican Republic.
