Moroccans are Top Foreign Contributors to Social Security in Spain

Denver – New data from Spain highlights Moroccan workers as the single largest foreign contributor to the Spanish social security system. 

According to a report from the Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, over 2.2 million foreign workers were registered as contributing to Spain’s social security system. Moroccan workers accounted for 267,031 of those workers. 

This data indicates Morocco remains the primary source of foreign labor in Spain, followed by China with 104,557 people. Of Spain’s foreign workers, 1.45 million were from non-EU countries, while 790,351 originated from countries around Europe. 

Morocco also maintained its position as the largest foreign community legally established in Spain. 869,661 Moroccan nationals were registered in the country until January 1, 2021, an increase of 3,716 people over the same period in 2020. 

Prior to the cooling of tensions between Rabat and Madrid, Moroccan seasonal workers represented a crucial aspect of the Spanish economy. These workers formed the backbone of the Spanish industrial, agriculture, and service sectors. 

Earlier this month, Moroccan workers began returning to France and Spain to begin seasonal work. The sudden departure of Moroccan labor reportedly caused mass labor shortages in both countries, as employers struggled to fulfill the previously Moroccan-occupied roles. 

Moroccan workers arrived on the French island of Corsica to assist in their traditional role of harvesting clementines and mandarin oranges. Similarly, Spanish media reported at least 12,700 Moroccans are scheduled to return to Spain’s Huelva region soon, per the urgent request of Spanish agricultural companies currently struggling to meet quotas without the crucial assistance of Morocco’s labor force.