Spain Records Historic Migration Surge as Canary Islands Face Unprecedented Pressure

Doha – Spain has recorded one of its highest numbers of irregular migrant arrivals in 2024, with 63,970 people entering the country by land and sea routes, marking a 12.5% increase from 2023, according to the latest data from the Spanish Ministry of Interior.

The surge has positioned Spain as the main entry point to Europe, even as overall EU border crossings declined by 40% in the first eleven months of the year.

The Canary Islands have become the focal point of this migration surge, receiving 46,843 arrivals in 2024, a 17% increase from the previous year. This unprecedented influx has stretched local resources and sparked debates about migration management across Spain.

The humanitarian toll has been particularly severe, with over 10,400 migrants losing their lives or disappearing at sea while attempting to reach Spain in 2024, according to the Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras.

This represents a 58% increase from the 6,618 deaths recorded in 2023, making it “the deadliest year” in the organization’s records.

Contrasting regional patterns and routes

The surge in arrivals to the Canary Islands can be partially attributed to the fact that the route has lower smuggling costs compared to other passages.

According to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, smuggling fees for the Canary Islands route from southern Morocco range from €1,500 (MAD 15,000) to €3,500 (MAD 35,000), significantly lower than the €4,000 (MAD 40,000) typically charged for reaching mainland Spain from northern Morocco.

Migration patterns have shown notable shifts in terms of nationalities. Mali and Senegal have emerged as the primary countries of origin for migrants arriving in Spain, particularly via the Canary Islands route.

According to Frontex data through September 2024, Mali led with 11,155 arrivals, followed by Senegal with 5,866, while 3,882 were of unknown origin.

While the Canary Islands faced mounting pressure, Melilla experienced its lowest migration figures since the 1990s, with only 113 arrivals in 2024 – a dramatic decrease from 340 in 2023.

Maritime arrivals to Melilla dropped by 88.3%, with just 21 individuals reaching its shores, while land-based entries fell by 42.5% to 92 people.

The Balearic Islands have also seen significant changes, with arrivals tripling compared to 2023. “Baleares has had to respond this year to a number that triples that of the previous year,” explains Victòria Avellà, the regional representative of the Red Cross in the Balearic Islands.

‘Priority partner’

Morocco has demonstrated significant results in border control as a “priority partner” in migration management. In August 2024 alone, Moroccan authorities prevented 14,648 migrants from illegally entering Ceuta and Melilla.

By November 2024, the Moroccan Ministry of Interior reported that authorities had thwarted 48,963 irregular migration attempts and dismantled 210 criminal networks involved in human trafficking.

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles has characterized Morocco’s cooperation as “total and absolute,” while Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares has praised the country’s efforts in addressing mass migration attempts.

Rafael Pérez, Spain’s Secretary of State for Security, highlighted the “downward trend” in irregular arrivals during the XXI Meeting of the Spanish-Moroccan Permanent Group on Migration in Marrakech.

‘2024 has been a demanding year’

The migration crisis has sparked intense political debate within Spain. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has maintained a positive approach to immigration, implementing reforms to facilitate the regularization of undocumented migrants.

A mid-November reform aims to reduce waiting times for residence permits and extend job-seeking visa duration from three months to one year, potentially benefiting up to 300,000 migrants annually over the next three years.

“2024 has been a demanding year, but also transformative,” states Elma Saiz, Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, highlighting the significance of the new regulatory framework.

The immigration regulations reform process has represented progress by adapting to the country’s social reality with the aim of making the settlement process more flexible, according to María Tejada, Accem’s communications manager.

However, this policy has faced strong opposition from right-wing and far-right parties. The situation has become particularly contentious regarding the management of unaccompanied minors in the Canary Islands, where local authorities report having 4,000 to 5,000 under their care.

The Canary Islands government and its president, Fernando Clavijo, have repeatedly denounced feeling “abandoned” by the central government.

“The minors are not express packages to be distributed among autonomous communities,” stated Borja Sémper, spokesperson for the opposition Popular Party (PP), highlighting the political deadlock over the proposed distribution of unaccompanied minors across Spanish regions.

The crisis has even prompted King Felipe VI to address the issue in his Christmas message, warning that “migrations can lead – without appropriate management – to tensions that erode social cohesion.”

This statement reflected the growing social and political tensions surrounding immigration in Spain, even as the country maintains its position as an exception within an increasingly restrictive European context.

Looking ahead to 2025, Francisco Navarro, head of Accem Canarias, says it is important to stop viewing this phenomenon as an emergency or temporary situation and face the reality that: “We are facing a structural situation.”

The complex situations in many parts of Africa and Asia suggest that people will continue fleeing from hunger and war, though the intensity and patterns of migration remain uncertain.