Venezuelans in Spain
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 692,316 (2025)[1] / 377,809 (2025)[a] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Canary Islands, Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid, L'Alfàs del Pi, Marbella, Benidorm | |
| Languages | |
| Spanish | |
| Religion | |
| Catholicism | |
Venezuelans in Spain (Spanish: Venezolanos in España) are the third largest immigrant group in Spain. Among the Venezuelan who leave their country, Spain is by far the most common destination for those who settle in Europe, due to the similarity of culture, shared language, and ancestry among other reasons,
Venezuelan immigration to Spain increased as a result of the country's ongoing political crisis.[3] As of January 2025, there were 692,316 Venezuelan-born people living in Spain.[4] Out of these, 377,809 possessed only Venezuelan citizenship.[5]
Community of Madrid and Canary Islands are the main areas of settlement for the Venezuelans in Spain.[6] As many Galicians migrated to Venezuela in the past, many Venezuelans move to Galicia.[7]
History
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 54,719 | — |
| 2001 | 62,335 | +13.9% |
| 2002 | 68,924 | +10.6% |
| 2003 | 78,987 | +14.6% |
| 2004 | 95,356 | +20.7% |
| 2005 | 107,372 | +12.6% |
| 2006 | 117,749 | +9.7% |
| 2007 | 126,861 | +7.7% |
| 2008 | 138,216 | +9.0% |
| 2009 | 145,564 | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 148,149 | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 151,935 | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 155,846 | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 156,092 | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 154,567 | −1.0% |
| 2015 | 161,180 | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 174,320 | +8.2% |
| 2017 | 199,035 | +14.2% |
| 2018 | 243,837 | +22.5% |
| 2019 | 309,510 | +26.9% |
| 2020 | 380,863 | +23.1% |
| 2021 | 411,996 | +8.2% |
| 2022 | 440,953 | +7.0% |
| 2023 | 518,918 | +17.7% |
| 2024 | 599,769 | +15.6% |
| 2025 | 692,316 | +15.4% |
| Source: National Statistics Institute (Spain)[8] | ||
As a former part of the Spanish Empire in the Americas and a major destination of Spanish emigration up until the second half of the 20th century, Venezuela shares strong historical ties with Spain.
After Hugo Chávez came to power following the 1998 Venezuelan presidential election many upper-class Venezuelans decided to leave the country, a movement that intensified with the failure of the 2002 coup against President Chávez. After 2015, the Venezuelan community has seen explosive growth, growing from around 150,000 people to almost 700,000 people in only ten years, because of the political and economic crisis that has seriously affected Venezuela after 2014. Venezuelans in Spain are working mostly in the service sector.[9] Venezuelans in Spain have also established businesses that produce Venezuelan food and products in Spain.[10]
In 2021, Venezuela constituted the third-largest source of migration to Spain after Morocco and Colombia.[11] Some estimated 100,000 Venezuelans settled in Madrid, assimilating well into Spanish society due to common Hispanic ethnicity and family ties.[12] However, a few Venezuelans also settled in villages.[13]
In general, many leading Venezuelan opposition members, including Edmundo González, who was the opposition candidate in the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election, have moved to Spain after the 2010s economic and political crisis.[14]
Legal status
Similarly to nationals from other countries of Ibero-America, Venezuelans of origin are allowed to apply for dual Spanish citizenship after two years of legal residence in Spain. In addition, Venezuelans who are children or grandchildren of Spanish citizens can legally obtain Spanish citizenship from their countries of origin, an option open to over three million Venezuelans.[15]
Notable people
See also
References
- ^ a b "Estadística del Padrón Continuo. Datos provisionales a 1 de enero de 2021. Población por comunidades y provincias, país de nacimiento, edad (grupos quinquenales) y sexo". Instituto Nacional de Estadística. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ "Estadística del Padrón Continuo. Datos provisionales a 1 de enero de 2021. Población extranjera por comunidades y provincias, nacionalidad y sexo". Instituto Nacional de Estadística. 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ Badcock, James (2018-10-17). "Venezuelans escape to Spain and ask to return old favour". BBC. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
- ^ "INEbase. CONSUL". INE. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
- ^ "INEbase. CONSUL". INE. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
- ^ "Under the radar: The growing wave of Latin American asylum seekers fleeing to Europe". InfoMigrants (in French). 2024-08-16. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
- ^ Newspaper, The Peninsula (2018-05-10). "Spain's Galicia welcomes back thousands of Venezuelans". thepeninsulaqatar.com. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ^ . Instituto Nacional de Estadística [Venezuelans in Spain (2002-2025), INEbase Venezuelans in Spain (2002-2025), INEbase]. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Naisadham, Suman. "Venezuelans in Spain are caught between hope and fear after Maduro's capture". ABC News. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
- ^ "Self-made Venezuelans in Spain help countrymen, women". France 24. 2017-07-05. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
- ^ Hatim, Yahia. "Moroccans Remain Largest Foreign Community in Spain". Morocco World News. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
- ^ Legorano, Giovanni (2019-09-18). "'A Latin American Brother-Country': Venezuelans Seek Refuge in Spain". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
- ^ Martinez, Juan (2024-08-24). "Immigration solutions: village in Spain welcomes Venezuelans who revitalize an aging community". Orato. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
- ^ Horowitz, Jason; Bautista, José; O’Reilly, Finbarr (2026-01-17). "In Spain's 'Little Caracas,' Venezuelan Exiles Are Still Waiting". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
- ^ El Mundo. "Se reducen 54% permisos de trabajo a venezolanos en España" (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 February 2014.