In July, Social Security recorded a drop of 11,398 foreign affiliates, bringing the total to 2,451,492. This decline interrupts the prior six-month upward trend in foreign participation and marks a notable shift in the monthly census of workers abroad.
Data released by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration show that among foreign affiliates, 846,484 originate from European Union member states, accounting for 34.5 percent, while 1,605,008 come from third countries, representing 65.5 percent of the total.
Gender breakdown reveals 1,368,384 men (55.8 percent) and 1,083,108 women (44.2 percent) among foreign workers.
Over the past year, the average number of foreign employees has risen by 10.1 percent, with 224,907 individuals added to the foreign workforce in that period.
Seasonally adjusted figures show a decrease of 1,409 members, while the first half of the year closed with a net gain of 71,773 foreign workers, pushing the July total to about 2.37 million.
According to these seasonally adjusted metrics, foreign participation accounted for 11.8 percent of the total workforce in July.
The largest contingents of foreign workers came from Romania, with 339,053 workers; Morocco, 285,046; Italy, 163,826; Colombia, 122,192; and Venezuela, 118,147.
The Ministry notes the presence of 60,276 affiliates from Ukraine, a figure that has risen since the start of the conflict. With 13,017 participants, Ukraine contributed more than in February, reflecting ongoing movements in the regional labor landscape.
Within regions, the rise in foreign membership is most pronounced in Cantabria (up 5.5 percent), Galicia (3.7 percent), and Asturias (3.2 percent). In contrast, Andalusia shows a notable increase of 8 percent, La Rioja 6.3 percent, and Murcia 5 percent, indicating diverse regional dynamics in immigrant labor shares.
When categorizing by program, the Self-Employed Special Program accounts for the majority with 2,045,918 foreign affiliates, while 2,045,918 are linked to the General Program (CHALLENGE), highlighting the distribution of foreign participation across employment schemes. These patterns reflect broader labor market structures and policy frameworks that influence how foreign workers are registered and managed within the system, as observed by the ministry.