These are the autonomous communities with the highest percentage of foreign population

Political news is marked by the agreement between the PSOE and Juns where immigration powers to Catalonia are assigned.

One of the arguments that occur in the text to justify this assignment of competences is that Catalonia has always hosted “a lot of population from other places” and has integrated into the democratic model of society and in “Catalan.”

In addition, as part of this reasoning, it is also pointed out that “18% of the Catalan population has foreign nationality and 24% have been born outside Catalonia”. The latest data published in January 2025 show that Spain has reached 49 million inhabitants for the impulse of immigration.

Communities with the highest percentage of foreign population

In our country, among residents, 42.28 million are Spanish nationality and 6.85 of foreign nationality. By birth – which implies that Spanish nationality may have acquired later – 39.68 million are residents born in Spain and 9.37 million have done so abroad.

By communities, Balearics It is the one with the highest percentage of residents with foreign nationality, with a 21.28%. The INE does not require nationalities. The islands is followed by Community Valenciana (19.31%), Catalonia (18.70%), Madrid (16.71%) and Murcia (15.82%).

As for communities with more residents who were born outside Spain, on January 1, 2025, Balearic Islands continues to lead the ranking with 28.30%. Catalonia occupies the second position with 24.98%, Madrid with 24.89%, Melilla with 24.33%or Valencian Community with 23.88%.

In the text, the agreement contemplates an organic law to be able to assign these powers that will need an absolute majority in the lower house. However, this majority is not assured since Podemos has described the agreement as a “anti -immigration” pact and has advanced that its four deputies will vote against.

Also, from the PP they have affirmed that it is an “unprecedented humiliation” that “deepens the inequality of the Spaniards.”

The refusal has not only focused on the political level, but also on the legal since some jurists have pointed out that it could be unconstitutional. The associations of Civil Guard and National Police also rejected it shortly after the foundations of this agreement were shared.