A recent report by the National Freelancers Association (ATA) highlights a remarkable development in the Spanish labor market: nearly 97% of new freelancers over the past four years are from outside Spain. These Autónomos, as they are called in Spain, are significantly reshaping the country’s job market.
The study, published in March 2025, reveals that of the 108,155 new self-employed individuals who joined the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers (RETA) since March 2021, an impressive 104,338 hold foreign nationality. This accounts for 96.5 percent of the total growth, a clear indicator that foreign entrepreneurs are playing an increasingly vital role in the Spanish economy.
Regional Differences: Growth Among Foreigners, Decline Among Spaniards
The report shows that the number of foreign freelancers has increased in all 17 Autonomous Communities of Spain over the past four years, with the exception of the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, which saw a decrease.
Interestingly, in nine Autonomous Communities – including Aragón, Asturias, Cantabria, Castile and León, Castile-La Mancha, Galicia, Navarre, Euskadi, and La Rioja – the number of national freelancers actually declined. Simultaneously, the number of foreign Autónomos in these regions significantly increased.
Although in regions like Andalusia, the Canary Islands, and the Autonomous Community of Madrid, the absolute number of Spanish self-employed is still higher, the growth of foreign freelancers surpasses that of domestic ones in almost all other regions. A particularly striking example is the Valencian Community, which recorded 22,391 more foreign self-employed individuals, compared to only 2,134 new Spanish freelancers.
Foreign Autónomos: A Key Pillar of Growth
Lorenzo Amor, president of the ATA, emphasizes the immense significance of this development. The data shows that self-employed foreign workers have become a fundamental pillar for the growth of freelancers in the Spanish system. “The growth of foreign Autónomos compared to domestic ones is not just a statistic; it is a reality that demonstrates the vitality and dynamism they bring to the Spanish productive fabric,” says Amor.
He added that in all labor sectors of Spain, there has been an increase in self-employed individuals from outside its borders over the past four years, while some sectors saw significant declines in domestic self-employed individuals.
Industries in Focus: Where Freelancers Are Growing Most
Particular attention should be paid to the sectors that recorded the strongest growth among foreign Autónomos. The construction sector leads the way with 17,446 new foreign freelancers. This is followed by professional, scientific, and technical services with 13,906, the hospitality sector with 12,670, and the information and communication sector with 11,115.
“The sector that has seen the largest growth since March 2021 is professional, scientific, and technical activities, with a total of 43,708 more self-employed individuals, of whom 29,802 are Spanish and 13,906 are foreign,” Amor concludes.
These breaking news underscore the transformation of the Spanish labor market and the increasing role that foreign freelancers play in its dynamism and growth. It remains to be seen how this development will impact the Spanish economy in the future.
