Immigrants don’t take jobs – they create them with 400,000 businesses in Spain

Immigrant self-employment has become a driving economic and social force in Spain, challenging the anti-immigration rhetoric. In 2024, nearly 400,000 foreign self-employed workers were registered in Spain — around ten per cent of the national total of freelancers and 15 per cent of all immigrant Social Security affiliates — according to the report Migration and Self-Employment in Spain: Challenges and Opportunities for Social and Territorial Cohesion by the Intersectoral Confederation of the Self-Employed (CIAE). Sandra Said, a Moroccan-born doctor, has lived in Spain for 35 years. She began working as a carer for children and the elderly, later as a cook, and eventually as a self-employed doctor once her qualifications were recognised. Now approaching retirement, she reflects from her home in Andalusia: “Most of us immigrants spend so much time working that we don’t have time to answer the lies told about us,” she told Euro Weekly News. The growing economic weight of immigration in Spain Immigrants account for around 12 per cent of all employment in Spain and show a higher activity rate than the national average (73.2 compared with 58.6). The number of foreign Social Security affiliates rose by 7.9 per cent in 2024, reaching 2.86 million, with non-EU workers making up 69 per cent. These figures underline the growing economic weight of immigration and its role as a pillar of the Spanish labour market, effectively countering the xenophobic narrative pushed by certain political sectors. “We have the same rights and obligations as the local population, and most of us comply with them. The law always falls harder on those without money for lawyers or a support network,” adds Said. One in ten freelancers in Spain is an immigrant, representing 15 per cent of foreign Social Security registrations. Far from taking jobs, immigrants create them — by opening businesses, becoming self-employed, and contributing to social security. The report stresses that their contribution “is not circumstantial but structural, tied to the sustainability of the care system, the vitality of urban commerce, and the continuity of agricultural activity in rural areas.” The CIAE study highlights that immigrant self-employment has become a vital route to integration, playing a key territorial role by “revitalising declining urban neighbourhoods and sustaining basic services in depopulated rural areas, thereby reinforcing social and demographic cohesion.” New business models and a more diverse range of services Beyond the numbers, immigrant entrepreneurs bring dynamism to the economy, introducing new business models, management strategies, and a more diverse range of goods and services. Commerce — especially retail — and hospitality account for over 40 per cent of immigrant self-employment, followed by transport, construction and care work. Yet, the report also points out vulnerabilities that need to be addressed. Mario arrived in Denia, in the heart of the Costa Blanca from Colombia three years ago. Although he is still waiting for his documentation, he has worked continuously as a waiter and dishwasher, and has even learned English to better serve tourists. “I understand that we must work hard, but our rights should also be respected. When we’re given opportunities for training and employment, we make the most of them,” he tells Euro Weekly News while folding umbrellas at the restaurant terrace where he works. Despite their high activity rate, immigrants face higher unemployment (15.8 per cent compared with 12 per cent), showing an active yet vulnerable integration. Sectors such as retail, hospitality and care work offer easier access but also involve greater competition and lower profitability. The survival rate of immigrant businesses beyond three years is between ten and fifteen points lower than that of nationals, mainly due to difficulties in accessing finance, limited support networks, and concentration in low-margin sectors. The exception is among highly educated immigrants, whose business survival rates match those of Spanish entrepreneurs. Gender disparities add another layer to this inequality. Self-employed immigrant women face triple discrimination — by gender, origin and legal status — and are often confined to undervalued sectors such as care and domestic work, with limited protection. Aiming for a more cohesive, inclusive and sustainable Spain by 2030, CIAE calls for “comprehensive policies that transform current vulnerability into opportunity.” The next five years, it says, should focus on professionalising the care sector, improving access to inclusive finance, ensuring full social protection, and strengthening immigrant entrepreneurship as a key factor in rural repopulation and the green transition. In short, the report shows that immigrants are not a threat to employment, but an essential force sustaining the economy, strengthening social cohesion, and securing Spain’s future.