Latin American migration to Spain

Many Latin Americans came to Spain during the country's economic boom in the late 1990s and beginning of the new millennium. The financial crisis that began in 2007 resulted in many leaving: some used acquired Spanish passports to work in northern Europe, while others moved to the United States.[2] Trigger events that served as a push factor from Latin America included the 1998–1999 Ecuador economic crisis[3] and the 1998–2002 Argentine great depression,[4] while Venezuelans are as of 2021 the nationality applying most for asylum in Spain, due to the country's crisis.[5][6] Migration fell again in 2020 due to a lack of long-distance flights because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

While ten years is the usual minimum for a foreigner to acquire Spanish nationality by residency, Latin Americans – including Brazilians – can achieve it in two years.[8]

Nativo, a company set up in 1997 to import Latin American brands to migrants in Spain, was bought in 2008 by Goya Foods, a US-based multinational active across the American continent.[9]

As of 2018, 610,871 residents of Madrid were born in Latin America.[2] Migrants from Brazil – the sole Portuguese-speaking country in Latin America – are particularly notable in Galicia, where the native language is close to their own.[10][11][12]

By country of birth

Ecuadorian independence day celebrations in Madrid

Per Instituto Nacional de Estadística, 1 January 2021:[1]

•  Colombia 541,273
•  Ecuador 420,733
•  Venezuela 415,013
•  Peru 255,427
•  Argentina 309,425
•  Dominican Republic 186,462
•  Cuba 174,229
•  Bolivia 157,667
•  Brazil 145,811
•  Honduras 137,627
•  Paraguay 87,685
•  Uruguay 83,536
•  Nicaragua 65,211
•  Mexico 65,463
•  Chile 63,411
• Any other Central American or Caribbean country (including non-Latin American): 60,505