The number of Ukrainian nationals with residence permits in Spain exceeded 338,000 in December 2025

A total of 338,576 people from Ukraine held valid residence documents as of 31 December 2025, representing an 8.1% year-on-year increase, or 25,495 more people than in December 2024. This data comes from the latest statistics published by the Permanent Observatory on Immigration (OPI), under the State Secretariat for Migration, which monitors changes in the number of Ukrainian nationals with residence permits in Spain.

While it is true that during the first half of 2022, following the Russian invasion and the exodus caused by the war, the Observatory recorded an increase of more than 122,800 people with valid residence permits in Spain, the number of these permits has evolved in recent years with moderate increases.

Thus, in December 2023, we saw an 11% increase compared to the previous year; by the end of 2024, the Observatory reflected a 10.4% increase; and as of 31 December 2025, the annual increase stood at 8.1% compared to the same date in 2024.

With regard to the reason for granting the residence and work permit, the majority, 73% (248,687 people), are for temporary protection. On the other hand, Ukrainian nationals holding long-term residence permits represent 20%, with 67,630 people.

The most frequent type of permit is the extension. Thus, 61% of Ukrainians with valid residence permits in Spain as of 31 December of last year held this type of permit, compared to 16% with initial permits.

Socio-demographic profile

The Permanent Observatory on Immigration reports that, of all Ukrainian nationals with residence documentation as of 31 December 2025, 58% were women (197,398) and 42% were men (141,178).

Among those under 16 years of age, the gender distribution is fairly balanced; however, among the working-age population, women predominate, especially in the 35-44 age bracket, where they almost double the number of men. This is largely due, according to the OPI, "to the predominance of women among the adult Ukrainian population that arrived since the beginning of the war, although the Ukrainian community settled in Spain before the war was already somewhat feminised in the working-age population".

With regard to the provinces of residence of Ukrainian nationals with valid permits as of 31 December of last year, 43% were concentrated in the provinces of Alicante, Madrid, and Barcelona. The Observatory also notes that Teruel, Asturias, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife were the provinces with the greatest annual increase, 34%, 19%, and 16%, respectively.

Labour market activity

The Observatory highlights in this report a 26.4% increase in Social Security affiliation for Ukrainians aged 16 and over holding a Temporary Protection Permit as of 31 December 2025, compared to the same date in 2024.

Analysing employment sectors, the largest numbers are found in 'Construction' (6,052), 'Hospitality' (5,663), 'Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles' (4,048), and 'Information and communications' (3,733).

The Observatory points out that this distribution of activities differs from the economic sectors employing this group before the conflict, as of 31 December, 2021. At that time, the largest sector was care and domestic service activities.

Finally, with regard to the type of contract, the 'full-time permanent' contract predominates, with 14,066 positions (39%).

Non official translation