Overview of Foreign Contributions to Social Security in 2023
In 2023, Social Security reported an average of 208,057 foreign contributions each month, reflecting an 8.5% rise from the previous year. The year closed with 2,668,776 migrant workers registered in the system, a new all‑time high for year‑end totals.
By the end of 2023, foreigners contributing to Social Security represented 56.1% males and 43.8% females, according to the Ministry of Participation, Social Security and Immigration. This demographic split underscores the strong male majority among international contributors during the period.
That 2.66 million figure followed a notable month in December, when foreign subsidiaries averaged higher values than in November. The seasonally adjusted data show that foreign participation in Social Security rose by 211,436 people in 2023, bringing the total to 2,712,113 workers. This total marks an increase of 522,692 since February 2020 and a rise of 12,839 compared with November 2023, reflecting some recovery trends after earlier pandemic reductions.
When measured with seasonally adjusted figures, foreign workers accounted for 13% of the total covered by Social Security at the end of 2023. This share highlights the sustained role of international labor within the system as the year closed.
The geographic origin of contributors shows 826,013 workers coming from EU countries, which is 32.3% of the foreign pool, and 1,806,763 workers from non‑EU or third countries, representing 67.7%. The largest national groups among foreign workers were Romania (333,334), Morocco (323,143), Italy (175,743), Colombia (175,570), and Venezuela (148,928).
Additionally, the system recorded 66,235 members from Ukraine, marking an increase of 18,976 compared with January 2022, prior to the onset of the war in Ukraine. The majority of Ukrainian workers in the country are salaried, about 87%, with the remaining 13% being self‑employed.
According to Ministry data, all autonomous communities increased their foreign worker totals in 2023 relative to the previous year. The largest absolute annual gains occurred in Madrid (+50,640), Catalonia (+39,031), the Valencian Community (+29,402), and Andalusia (+21,269).
In relative terms, Extremadura (+17.7%), Galicia (+15.3%), and Asturias (+13.4%) saw the most pronounced percentage increases in foreign membership for 2023.
Most foreigners fell under the General Regime. The year closed with 2,232,848 foreign affiliates under the General Regime, accounting for 83.7% of the total and rising 8.9% from 2022. The Special Regime for Self‑Employed Employees (RETA) ended 2023 with 431,696 foreign participants, up 6.2% from 2022. Among RETA participants, Chinese nationals comprised 14.8%, Romanians 10.9%, and Italians 9%.
Within the General Regime, the sectors with the highest foreign contributions in 2023 were accommodation services (+13.7%), electricity and gas supply (+13.1%), and activities in construction, finance, and related fields, each showing healthy gains around the 12% mark for the year. The Private Agricultural System, part of the General Regime, grew by 1.2%, while the Household System added 0.3% more foreign workers.
Overall, the 2023 data illustrate a continued reliance on foreign labor across multiple regimes and sectors, underlining the ongoing integration of international workers into the national labor market and the Social Security framework. (Source attribution: Ministry of Participation, Social Security and Immigration.)