More Romanians live in Spain than any other EU country, and Moroccan residents account for the largest community of African origin. However, the largest diaspora growth is occurring in the Colombian community, with an annual growth rate of 14.1 percent in 2020.
The Canary Islands has become a site of irregular immigration, as have the mainland's coasts and other Spanish territories. This includes asylum seekers entering the country to seek refugee status in the European Union. However, the number of irregular arrivals peaked in 2018.
Many migrants are looking for employment opportunities, in spite of Spain’s rather high unemployment rate. In 2020, 2.3 million foreigners had found work in Spain.
