Since 2014, the Canary Islands have seen a notable increase in population, adding 72,886 residents by the end of 2022. This demographic shift includes a diverse makeup of 70.7% Spanish nationals, 6.1% EU Europeans, and 23% non-EU nationals, totaling 21,351 individuals, according to data from the Istac. This information was highlighted during a parliamentary committee presentation by Finance Councillor Matilde Asián.
Asián noted that while the proportion of European residents has remained relatively stable around 7% over the last eight years, the non-European segment has seen a slight increase from 4.93% to 5.54%. This change was somewhat unexpected, as Asián expressed surprise at the modesty of the growth in response to a query from José Manuel Bermúdez of the Nationalist Group.
The demographic details reveal that Italians lead among foreign residents in terms of growth, whereas populations from Germany, Britain, Belgium, and Nordic countries have declined. Conversely, there has been an increase in arrivals from Africa, America, Asia, and particularly Ukrainians.
Bermúdez also brought up data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), which recorded 127,166 EU nationals (excluding Ireland and Norway) residing in the Canary Islands in 2022. He pointed out a significant trend in real estate, where 33.5% of homes sold in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife from 2012 to 2023 were purchased by foreigners. He emphasized the impact of this trend on local housing markets and welfare, noting that such a high rate of foreign ownership raises concerns, particularly as the Canary Islands represent 26.1% of Spain’s foreign property investment—nearly double the national average.
This real estate trend has led Bermúdez to propose contemplating restrictions on home purchases by non-residents to address what he describes as a “housing emergency.” This situation is exacerbated by the high prices and the unique challenges faced by the Canary Islands, being a limited and remote territory. Bermúdez is awaiting a legal report commissioned by the Canary Islands Government to address these issues, stressing the urgency for the European Union to respond to this localized crisis.
