How many illegal immigrants arrive in Spain?

We have examined the Spanish Ministry of the Interior's fortnightly report focusing on irregular immigration statistics for the period between 1 January and 29 February.

The report provides provisional, cumulative data, comparing figures for 2024 with the same period in 2023. 

It provides detailed statistics on the number of immigrants arriving by sea and by land, broken down by specific regions of Spain, including the Peninsula, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla.

i: The document serves as an official source for tracking immigration trends and includes comparisons to highlight significant changes in migration flows over the year. It is structured with graphs and tables to clearly present changes in numbers.

• Total immigrants (2024 vs. 2023): 14,035 in 2024 compared to 3,094 in 2023, indicating a significant increase.

• Immigrants by sea: Significant increase in arrivals by sea, especially in the Canary Islands, which saw an increase from 1,865 in 2023 to 11,932 in 2024.

• Immigrants by land: The report includes figures for land crossings to Ceuta and Melilla, showing increases and decreases for specific regions.

• Arrivals by boat: A count of the number of boats involved in bringing illegal immigrants to Spain, along with year-on-year comparisons.

• Peninsular and Balearic regions: 1,552 people (+484 increase).
• Canary Islands: 11,932 people (+10,067 increase, a 331% rise).
• Ceuta and Melilla (Sea): Minimal impact (e.g., 1 arrival to Melilla).

• Ceuta: 545 arrivals (+414 compared to 2023).
• Melilla: 5 arrivals (down by 10 compared to 2023).

• What happens to illegal immigrants in Spain?