The number of Spanish residents born outside the country has exceeded 10 million for the first time, reaching 10,004,581 as of January 1, 2026, according to data from the Spanish Institute of Statistics (INE).
The total population of Spain on that date reached 49,570,725, meaning that the proportion of residents born abroad was close to 20%.
The INE notes that the population growth was mainly due to an increase in the number of people born outside the country, while the number of people born in Spain continued to decline. At the same time, the number of residents with foreign citizenship as of January 1, 2026, was 7,243,561, which is less than the number of “foreign-born” due to the process of obtaining Spanish citizenship.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, Spain’s population increased by 81,520 people, and in annual terms, the increase is estimated at 442,428 people. Among the main nationalities that arrived in the fourth quarter of 2025, INE highlights Colombian, Venezuelan, and Moroccan.
For comparison with Ukrainians: according to Spanish data, as of December 31, 2025, there were 338,576 Ukrainian citizens with valid residence permits in the country, with 73% of such permits granted under the temporary protection mechanism.
Spain for the first time came out on the first place in Europe on the investment attractiveness of real estate investment, according to CBRE European Investor Intentions Survey 2026.
According to CBRE materials, in the survey (cross-boarder responses, without taking into account the choice of “home” market) Spain became the leader of expectations for total real estate returns in 2026 – “just under 50%” of respondents named it as the market with the highest expectations.
The top 10 countries in terms of expectations for aggregate returns in 2026 included Spain, the UK, Poland, Italy, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Denmark, France and Sweden.
In the ranking of the most attractive cities for cross-border investment, London retained the first place.
Next in the top five were Madrid (2nd), Warsaw (3rd), Barcelona (4th) and Milan (5th).
CBRE notes an improvement in investor sentiment: 89% of respondents expect their buying activity in 2026 to increase or remain at the same level as in 2025. Living (residential real estate) remains the most preferred segment for the second year in a row, with logistics maintaining a strong position and interest in retail and offices growing year on year.
CBRE is a global commercial real estate and consulting firm; the European Investor Intentions Survey 2026 is based on responses from nearly 700 investors and outlines expectations for Europe’s real estate markets and sectors over the next year.
The CBRE European Investor Intentions Survey 2026 report does not mention Ukraine.
The left-wing coalition Sumar has registered an initiative in the Spanish Congress aimed at legalizing the rental market, which provides for a ban on cash payments for rent and the transfer of payments to electronic, traceable channels, according to Spanish media reports.
According to the published details, payments are to be made by bank transfer or other electronic means, and financial institutions servicing such transactions will be required to automatically transfer information to the Spanish tax service (AEAT) to identify undeclared income and strengthen tenant protection by confirming payment with bank statements.
A separate element of the package is a 1% withholding from the rent amount, which the landlord will have to transfer to the AEAT on a monthly basis. The materials emphasize that this levy is also seen as a tool for forming a more accurate indicator of rental price dynamics across regions.
Sumar estimates the scale of tax losses from violations and evasion in the rental income segment at over €12.5 billion per year and proposes to strengthen the resources of the tax service, including the creation of specialized units to detect violations in the real estate market.
For banks, implementing this approach means an increase in the share of payments passing through accounts and, at the same time, an expansion of the role of compliance and data exchange with tax authorities. For the housing market, this could mean an acceleration of the “whitening” of rents and increased price transparency, but the parameters and timing will depend on the initiative passing through parliament.
In Spain, measures to tighten rules in the seasonal rental segment and prevent abuse are being discussed in parallel, with the government having previously announced the preparation of a corresponding package. For comparison, in Greece, a rule will be introduced on January 1, 2026, according to which rent must be paid through registered bank accounts, and cash payments will no longer be accepted.
Kernel, one of Ukraine’s largest agricultural holdings, has discussed new opportunities for development in the EU market and agreed on prospects for deepening its partnership with Spanish sunflower and olive oil supplier Aceites Abril, the agricultural holding’s press service reported on Facebook.
It is noted that the topic of the meeting in Orense (Spain) was the expansion of vegetable oil supplies to Europe and the adaptation of logistics. The parties discussed the range, potential volumes, and practical solutions to ensure the stability and predictability of exports.
“We talked about specific things: logistics, supply flexibility, and opportunities to expand the range for the EU. It is important for us to build predictable, long-term models of cooperation. We continue to develop partnerships in the EU, focusing on supply stability, effective commercial solutions, and long-term mutually beneficial cooperation,” said Andriy Paladiy, director of oil and protein trading at the agricultural holding, whose words are quoted in the report.
Founded in 1962, Spanish company Aceites Abril S.A. is one of Spain’s leading family-owned vegetable oil producers. It specializes in the production of Extra Virgin and Virgin olive oil, as well as sunflower, soybean, and grape seed oil. The company owns a factory in the industrial zone of San Sibao das Vinhas and its own logistics terminal in the port of Vigo, which exports products to more than 60 countries around the world. The company is consistently among the ten largest players in the industry in Spain.
Before the war, the Kernel agricultural holding company ranked first in the world in sunflower oil production (about 7% of global production) and exports (about 12%). It is one of the largest producers and sellers of bottled oil in Ukraine. It is also involved in the cultivation and sale of agricultural products.
The Spanish government has announced its intention to grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of migrants who are working or residing in the country without permission, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Tuesday, citing Social Security and Migration Minister Elma Saiz.
She told reporters that immigrants can begin applying for legalization in April, when the relevant decree is expected to come into force. The permit will apply to those who arrived in Spain before December 31, 2025, have stayed in the country for at least five months, and have no criminal record.
According to various estimates, 500,000 to 800,000 migrants could benefit from the Spanish authorities’ plans. Many of them are from Latin America and Africa and are employed in agriculture, tourism, and the service sector.
AP explains that this decree will allow the government to circumvent a similar initiative that has not yet been approved by parliament.
In November 2024, Saiz stated that the Spanish authorities intend to legalize up to 300,000 migrants per year to fill the labor shortage in the country due to the aging population. At that time, she said that the policy of attracting migrants would last three years. She specified that Spain needs 250,000 to 300,000 foreign workers per year who are able to pay taxes in order to maintain the welfare state.
Citizens of Ukraine at the end of the third quarter of 2025 entered the top ten largest foreign buyers of real estate in Spain – they accounted for 758 sales transactions, according to the data of the Spanish Registration Service (Registrars) for Q3.
Leaders among foreign buyers were citizens of the UK (1 871 transactions), Germany (1 539) and the Netherlands (1 416). Romania (1,321) and Morocco (1,317) followed, as well as France (1,241) and Italy (1,177).
Poland (1,096) and Belgium (1,021) are also in the top 10. Ukraine ranked 10th (758), ahead of China (687) and Sweden (578).
Other countries represented in the statistics include Ireland (424 transactions), the US (405), Russia (403) and Bulgaria (251).
