More than half of the immigrants who arrive in Spain eventually leave again, according to a new report from Spanish economic think tank Funcas, which says high housing costs, insecure employment and limited long-term stability are making it difficult for many foreign workers to remain in the country.

The study examined migration patterns between 2002 and 2024 and found that around 15 million foreign nationals arrived in Spain during that period. However, the country’s net increase in foreign population was only around seven million people, indicating that a large proportion later moved elsewhere or returned to their countries of origin.

Researchers said the figures place Spain among the European countries with the lowest immigrant retention rates, with only around 48% of arrivals remaining in the country over the long term.

Housing and unstable work linked to departures

According to the report, the main reasons many immigrants leave Spain are connected to economic pressures, particularly difficulties accessing stable employment and affordable housing. The report suggested that many migrants initially arrive to work in sectors such as hospitality, agriculture, construction and care services, where labour shortages continue in parts of the economy. However, temporary contracts, seasonal employment and lower average wages compared with some other European countries often make long-term settlement difficult.

The report also highlighted the growing cost of housing as a major factor. Rising rents in cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga have increased pressure on lower-income households, including many foreign workers. Researchers noted that limited housing supply and increasing competition for rental properties can leave many migrants in temporary or overcrowded accommodation, particularly in larger urban areas and tourist destinations.

Spain remains dependent on immigration

Despite the high number of departures identified in the report, Spain continues to rely heavily on immigration to support workforce demand and population growth. Like several other European countries, Spain faces demographic challenges linked to an ageing population and low birth rates. Economists have repeatedly argued that immigration will play an important role in maintaining labour supply and supporting public services in the future.

The Funcas study warned, however, that attracting migrants may not be enough if many continue to view Spain as a temporary destination rather than a place to settle permanently. Researchers argued that immigration policy cannot be separated from wider economic issues such as housing affordability, salary levels and employment conditions. Without improvements in these areas, they suggested that Spain may struggle to retain workers over the long term.

Pressure grows on rental market and services

Housing affordability has become one of Spain’s most sensitive political and social issues in recent years. Rental prices have risen steadily across many major cities and coastal areas, while housing construction has not kept pace with demand in some regions. The study suggested that migrants are often particularly affected because many arrive without established support networks and frequently work in lower-paid sectors of the economy.

Several migrant support organisations have also raised concerns over overcrowded living conditions and difficulties accessing secure rental accommodation. In some areas, high tourism demand and the growth of short-term rentals have added further pressure to the housing market. At the same time, businesses in sectors already facing labour shortages have warned that difficulties retaining foreign workers could create additional staffing problems. Hospitality, agriculture and care services are among the industries most dependent on migrant labour in Spain.

Debate over migration policy expected to continue

The report is likely to add to ongoing political debate surrounding immigration, housing and economic policy in Spain. Successive governments have promoted immigration as part of the solution to labour shortages and demographic decline. However, the Funcas findings suggest that long-term integration may become increasingly difficult if living costs continue to rise faster than wages.

Researchers concluded that Spain’s challenge is no longer only attracting migrants, but ensuring conditions allow people to remain in the country over time. The report argues that improving access to housing, increasing employment stability and strengthening long-term economic opportunities will be essential if Spain wants immigration to remain a sustainable part of its economic and demographic future.

Running low on battery while driving across Spain is still a genuine fear for many electric car owners. Outside the biggest cities, there are still stretches of road where drivers can travel for kilometres without finding a rapid charger that actually works.

Now the Spanish government is trying to fix that problem with a €100 million investment aimed at installing 337 new fast charging points across the country. The plan specifically targets the areas drivers complain about most: the so called ‘shadow stretches’ where charging infrastructure is weak, unreliable or simply non existent.

The project, backed through the IDAE energy agency under the Moves charging corridor programme, is designed to make long distance electric travel in Spain feel far less stressful. Most of the new chargers will offer 150 kW rapid charging, allowing drivers to recharge much faster during motorway journeys.

For Spain, the issue has become urgent. Electric car sales continue growing, but many drivers still hesitate to switch because they are not convinced the charging network is reliable enough once they leave major urban areas.

Spain has more chargers than before but many still do not work

On paper, Spain’s charging network has expanded quickly.

According to AEDIVE, the country had almost 55,000 operational charging points by May 2026. That sounds impressive at first glance. But drivers often point out that the real problem is not only how many chargers exist. It is whether they are working when people actually need them.

Industry figures from ANFAC suggest more than 16,000 charging points installed across Spain were still not operational at the end of 2025.

Some have not yet been connected to the electricity grid. Others are out of service, damaged or stuck in administrative delays.

That leaves many electric motorists relying heavily on a relatively small number of dependable charging stations, especially on longer journeys and holiday travel can become particularly stressful.

Drivers heading across Spain during busy periods often find themselves checking apps constantly, calculating battery percentages and hoping the next charger on the route is available and functioning properly.

For people considering buying their first electric car, stories like that continue putting many off. The fear is rarely about driving around Madrid, Barcelona or Valencia.

It is the idea of getting stuck somewhere between cities with very limited charging options. That is exactly what the government is now trying to address.

Where the new rapid charging hubs will appear

Several major charging operators are receiving funding through the programme. Wenea secured the largest allocation, receiving almost €14.8 million for 25 projects around Spain. Zunder will receive roughly €13 million to develop 54 charging installations.

Some locations will reinforce charging points that already exist but need greater capacity. Others will create entirely new charging hubs in areas where drivers currently have very few options.

Among the locations mentioned are Villafranca del Penedès in Barcelona province, Almansa in Albacete and Verín in Galicia.

The Iberdrola BP Pulse partnership also received more than €12 million to develop 41 charging hubs in places including Málaga, León, Jaén, Cáceres, Toledo and Badajoz. A number of projects focus directly on routes that electric drivers have long viewed as problematic.

Some hubs will appear near motorway service areas, hotels and major road connections where rapid charging access is especially important during long journeys. One of the biggest funded projects announced so far is a charging hub in Villena.

Other significant developments include stations planned in Malpartida de Plasencia and Argamasilla de Alba.

The idea is not only to increase charger numbers but to create a network drivers can realistically depend on while travelling across the country.

Spain wants more people buying electric cars but confidence remains a problem

The government knows charging infrastructure remains one of the biggest obstacles slowing electric vehicle adoption in Spain.

Price still matters, of course. Electric cars remain expensive for many households even with subsidies. But confidence is equally important.

A lot of drivers simply want reassurance that they will not spend hours searching for a charger during a family trip or holiday drive.

That concern becomes even stronger in rural areas or on routes where charging stations remain scarce.

Spain has been under pressure to accelerate the transition towards electric mobility, particularly as other European countries continue moving faster in EV adoption. But infrastructure gaps have repeatedly frustrated both drivers and manufacturers.

The challenge is not only about building more chargers. It is also about making sure they are fast, operational and properly distributed around the country.

Drivers complain that too many chargers are concentrated in larger cities while major routes still contain long areas with limited rapid charging access. That imbalance has fuelled the reputation of Spain’s ‘shadow stretches’.

The new programme is supposed to reduce those gaps and make cross country travel feel more practical for EV owners.

And for drivers who already own electric cars, the difference between a working rapid charger and a broken one can completely change a journey.

The race to make electric driving feel normal

Spain is clearly trying to reach the point where electric driving feels routine rather than carefully planned.

Right now, many EV owners still organise trips around chargers instead of simply driving normally and stopping when convenient. That is something governments across Europe are trying to change as they push for lower emissions and greater electric vehicle adoption.

The expansion of rapid charging hubs is a big part of that effort. Fast chargers with 150 kW capacity can dramatically reduce waiting times compared with older systems, making longer trips far more manageable.

For Spain, improving infrastructure may end up being just as important as offering purchase subsidies if the country truly wants more drivers to switch to electric cars. Because for many motorists, the question is no longer whether electric vehicles are the future.

It is whether they trust the charging network enough to rely on one today.

Officers from the Guardia Civil Traffic unit stopped a motorist for travelling at 160 kilometres per hour on a stretch of the A-357 road, legally limited to 60 kilometres per hour near Teba in Malaga province.

Detection equipment captured the vehicle during a routine speed check as part of a wider Dirección General de Tráfico campaign targeting interurban routes.

Events took place on the afternoon of April 16 when traffic personnel set up temporary speed cameras at kilometre marker 13 on this carriageway. Equipment readings showed the car exceeding the posted limit by exactly 100 kilometres per hour.

Excessive speed now treated as imprisonable offence

Going over any limit by more than 80 kilometres per hour instantly qualifies the driver for a criminal record against road safety under Spanish law and usually carries a prison sentence. Guardia Civil personnel have opened a formal investigation into the driver and forwarded the file to the appropriate judicial authority for processing.

Road safety messages from the Guardia Civil stress that higher speeds cut reaction times to unexpected hazards while raising crash likelihood and worsening potential outcomes for everyone involved. Such enforcement actions form part of ongoing efforts to curb dangerous driving habits across busy Andalusian routes where limits vary according to road design and traffic density.

Many drivers underestimate how quickly conditions can change on roads like the A-357, with its tighter curves and frequent local access points. Speed-trap campaigns of this nature run regularly throughout the year to remind motorists that even brief lapses carry lasting consequences, including licence suspension and court appearances.

Legal ramifications for excessive speeding cases

Spanish regulations treat large speed excesses differently from minor violations. Cases involving more than 80 kilometres per hour over the limit go beyond administrative fines into criminal territory with possible prison terms together with automatic point deductions and hefty fines.

Local authorities in Malaga province continue to give a lot of importance to these controls given the high volume of traffic on major arteries connecting coastal and inland areas.

Fastest speeds recorded in Malaga Province and across Spain

The Malaga province holds records for extreme speeding incidents, with one driver captured on video reaching 300 kilometres per hour on the A-7 motorway near Marbella in a section limited to 100 kilometres per hour.

Guardia Civil personnel investigated that case after the footage appeared online, though the reading came from the vehicle’s own speedometer rather than official speed camera equipment.

Spain maintains an overall legally recorded speeding case of 297 kilometres per hour set in 2016 on the R-4 motorway near Madrid involving a Porsche 911 Carrera. This benchmark is unbroken and is still the highest confirmed radar-captured speeding incident nationwide, with other notable radar readings falling slightly below at 295 or 296 kilometres per hour in separate incidents.

Extreme cases remain rare yet serve as reminders that enforcement technology and patrols operate continuously for the benefit of all road users.