The foreign population has become an integral part of the demographic and economic reality of Alicante province. A report prepared by the Diocesan Secretariat for Migration ASTI (Association for Solidarity with Immigrant Workers) presents two particularly significant aspects of this reality: the situation of foreigners with valid residence documents and that of those registered with the Social Security system (Seguridad Social).<\/p>\n
As of January 1, 2025, 497,387 foreign citizens lived in the region, 32,786 more than a year earlier. This figure represents 24.5% of the province of Alicante’s total population of 2.03 million, the highest proportion among Spanish provinces.<\/p>\n
According to the data presented in the report, as of December 31, 2025, Alicante had 515,205 foreigners with a valid certificate, residence permit or TIE residence card. The province therefore accounts for 47.2% of all permits registered in the Valencian Community.<\/p>\n
This figure provides an estimate of the foreign population with documented administrative status, but also shows that there is no single migration profile. Of the 515,205 people recorded, 244,117 fall under the EU regime, while 220,405 are covered by the general regime. They are joined by 50,683 people with TIE cards issued under the agreement on the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU.<\/p>\n
The age distribution adds another important aspect. The ASTI report notes that 333,357 foreigners (64.7%) are between the ages of 16 and 64. In addition, there are 50,641 people under the age of 16 and 131,207 people \u2013 one in four \u2013 aged 65 or over.<\/p>\n
This fact is particularly important for correctly interpreting the presence of foreigners in Alicante. The foreign population does not consist solely of people who come to the province for employment. Alongside the potentially working-age population, there is a significant number of minors and, above all, elderly people.<\/p>\n
In addition, this structure is linked to the characteristics of the province, where the proportion of foreign residents is significant. According to the report, based on data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), as of January 1, 2025, Alicante was the Spanish province with the highest proportion of residents of foreign origin: 497,387 people (24.5%).<\/p>\n
According to data from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration compiled by ASTI, as of December 30, 2025, 135,550 foreigners were registered with the Social Security system in Alicante. They represented 17.8% of all people registered in the province, and their number increased by 10,457 in one year. There were more men than women: 76,772 and 58,777 respectively.<\/p>\n
There is also a significant difference depending on the country of origin. Of the foreigners registered with Seguridad Social, 90,948 come from countries outside the European Union (67.1%), while the remaining 44,602 are from EU member states.<\/p>\n
Comparing these two groups \u2013 foreigners with residence documents and those registered with the Social Security system \u2013 does not allow us to conclude that those who are not included in the latter are unemployed or outside the labour market. These are different statistical populations, and the report also warns that the dates used by the different sources do not coincide. Nevertheless, together they reveal two aspects of the same reality: the administrative presence of the foreign population and its integration into the formal employment system.<\/p>\n
Of the 135,550 registered foreigners, 37,601 (27.7%) are self-employed (aut\u00f3nomos). According to the report, 25.2% of all self-employed workers in Alicante province are foreign nationals.<\/p>\n
The presence of foreigners is particularly noticeable in certain sectors. There are 8,301 registered workers in agriculture (54.7% of the total in this sector) and 2,704 in domestic work (35.3%).<\/p>\n
In addition, the report highlights the significant presence of citizens from non-EU countries in these sectors: they account for 91.5% of foreign insured workers in the agricultural system and 83.6% in domestic work.<\/p>\n
The trend over the past ten years shows how much the presence of foreigners in Alicante province’s Social Security system has increased. In 2016, 74,354 foreign citizens were registered, while in 2025 their number reached 135,550. Thus, over the decade, the increase amounted to 61,196 registered people. At the same time, the share of foreigners in the total number of registered people in the province increased from 12.5% to 17.8%.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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