Social Security records 3,635,979 affiliates from other nationalities, 16.2% of the total. Construction leads annual growth at 6.9%.
Social Security counted an average of 3,635,979 foreign affiliates in September 2026, the first time the barrier of 3.6 million has been surpassed, according to data published by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration on October 2. This figure represents 84,220 more affiliates than in August and 547,637 more than a year earlier.
Workers from other nationalities account for 16.2% of the total affiliates. In September, the system added an average of 22,437,553 affiliates, 92,327 more than in August, as reported by directoriocubano.info.
By sectors, construction recorded the highest year-on-year growth of affiliates, at 6.9%, including both General Scheme workers and self-employed. This was followed by real estate activities, with 5.9%, and artistic, sports and entertainment activities, with 5.3%.
These rates describe the total employment of each activity, not just that of foreign individuals. Within the General Scheme, affiliation grew by 8.6% in agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishing, and by 8.1% in construction.
The latest sectoral breakdown available for foreign workers corresponds to August. In that month, they represented 33.6% of affiliates in hospitality, 28.1% in agriculture, and 27% in construction. Their share reached 20.2% in administrative activities and 18.5% in transport.
Spain counted 3,483,645 self-employed workers in September, 70,353 more than a year earlier. The highest annual growth rates were seen in electric power and gas, at 15.6%, and in telecommunications and IT, at 14.3%.
As of September 30, 421,306 foreigners from the extraordinary regularisation process were registered with Social Security. Of these, 326,256 were listed under the General Scheme and 22,681 as self-employed.
For those seeking employment, the growth of a sector can guide the search, but it does not equate to available job offers. Positions and their requirements depend on the occupation and the area.
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