In the province of Alicante, 22.3% of the population is from abroad, with Ukrainians and Colombians being the two nationalities that have increased the most. Half of the foreigners in the Valencian Community reside in Alicante (49.1%), totalling 436,502 people, with an increase of 47,754 in just one year. This makes Alicante the third largest in absolute foreign population numbers, behind Madrid and Barcelona, and second in relative numbers with 22.3% of inhabitants originating from another country, compared to Almería’s 22.5%.
The United Kingdom remains the largest nationality despite a population decrease, followed by Morocco. Colombia and Ukraine have seen the most significant increases in residents, followed by Romania.
According to the report “Statistical Approach to the Foreign Population in the Province of Alicante,” prepared by the Association of Solidarity with Immigrant Workers (ASTI) and linked to the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante, nearly one in four people in the province is a foreigner. Of the total, 125,945 come from European Union countries (28.9%), while 310,557 are from the rest of the world (71.1%).
Pedro Juan Díaz Zaragoza, responsible for Awareness at ASTI Alicante, highlights the significant integration of the foreign population, as 15.7% of Social Security affiliates are of foreign origin. Most have permanent residence and stable jobs, contributing to pensions, education, and healthcare.
In Alicante, more than half of the agricultural workers (52.2%) and one in three household employees (37.9%) are foreigners. The Diocese emphasizes that their presence poses no threat to local culture or traditions.
The number of residence permits has increased throughout the Valencian Community, with Alicante accounting for 49% of the permits granted. Of these, half are from the community regime (EU), 38.3% from the general regime (other countries), and 11.5% from the Withdrawal Agreement (Brexit). The municipalities with the largest foreign populations are Alicante (14.3%), Torrevieja (9.2%), Elche (6.8%), Orihuela (6.8%), and Benidorm (5.2%).
The largest group of foreign residents is aged 40 to 44, making up 24.5% of the foreign population. In contrast, the fastest-growing age group among native residents is 65 to 69, indicating an aging population.
A notable statistic is that Alicante has the highest number of foreign deaths in Spain (15.8%). However, only one in four people from the EU is over 65. Many deaths are attributed to aging residents from other countries.
The report also states that one in three births in Alicante is to a foreign mother, and students from other countries make up 20% of the total, with 11,017 more students enrolled in one year.
