In that month (prior to the coronavirus pandemic in Spain), the number of employed persons with foreign nationality totaled 27,214 workers (1.3%). On the other hand, the increase in affiliation of this group was 132,374 assets compared to February 2019. This placed the year-on-year variation at 6.67%.
Of the total number of foreign affiliates to Social Security in February, 1,332,418 came from countries outside the European Union and the rest (785,236) from EU countries. It should be borne in mind that in February affiliates from the United Kingdom began to be counted as non-EU in statistics, due to the exit of the country from the Union. Of the total foreign workers, 1,191,720 were men and 925,934 women.
The most numerous groups of foreign workers were those from Romania (343,006), Morocco (270,623), Italy (126,267) and China (105,595). They were followed by national workers from Colombia (76,026), Ecuador (71,815), Venezuela (69,020), the United Kingdom (68,747) and Bulgaria (61,449). More than 50,000 affiliates from Portugal (56,292) and France (50,108) were also registered.
By regimes and sectors
By regimes, the majority of foreign affiliates fell within the General Regime in February, 1,764,735 (this data includes the Special Agrarian System, with 223,457 employed persons, and the Household System, with 166,394). It was followed by the Self-Employed Workers Regime, with 348,918 members, the Special Sea Regime, with 3,961, and the Coal Regime, with 40.
Specifically, in the group of members of the General Regime, the group represented 11.08%. By sector, 42.21% of all the workers affiliated to the Special System of the Home were foreigners. Likewise, 29.92% of those affiliated to the Special Agrarian System and 28.31% of workers of Activities of Organizations and Extraterritorial Organizations. The presence of workers from other countries in Agriculture, Livestock, Hunting and Fishing (22.96%), Hospitality (22.89%) and Construction (16.13%) also stands out.
Overall, in the General Scheme, the number of registered foreign workers has grown by 6.69% in the last year. All activity sectors increased, with the exception of the special Agrarian systems (-0.84%) and Household (-3.60%). The sectors that most affiliated added between February 2019 and February 2020 were Health Activities and Central Services (16.18%), Electric Power, Gas, Steam and Air Conditioning Supply (15.53%) and Financial and Insurance Activities (14.54%).
In month-on-month terms, on the other hand, the General Regime added 1.35% foreign affiliates. Employed persons increased in all sectors, and in particular in Agriculture, Livestock, Hunting, Forestry and Fishing (5.73%), Construction (5.72%) and Education (3.07%). On the other hand, there were fewer affiliates in Household Activities such as Employers (-0.37%), Commerce (-0.19) and Other Services (-0.14%).
Regarding the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers, the presence of foreign workers was 10.71% compared to the group of self-employed workers. In the Hospitality sector, they represented 19.73% of the total, as well as 16.2% of the affiliates in Real Estate Activities.
Autonomous communities
From February 2019 to February 2020, the affiliation of foreigners increased in all the autonomous communities. Galicia (11.67%), Cantabria (11.25%), Navarra (10.53%) and the Basque Country (10.12%) were the regions with the most foreign workers. Following were Asturias (8.63%), Castilla y León (8.47%) and Aragón (8.16%).
In month-on-month terms, membership also rose in most communities. The Balearic Islands stand out, with an increase of 4.59% occupied, followed by Murcia (3.07%), Galicia (2.17%) and Castilla y León (2.01%). It only decreased in the last month in Castilla-La Mancha (-0.12%).
