The number of foreign workers registered with Social Security in the Canary Islands increased by 2.51 per cent in August, reaching a total of 152,523 people. According to figures released on Monday by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, the archipelago added 3,747 foreign contributors in just one month.
In July, the total stood at 148,776. The increase was mainly driven by the general Social Security scheme, which now accounts for more than 111,500 foreign workers in the Canary Islands.
More than 111,500 foreign workers in the general scheme
Most foreign workers registered with Social Security in the Canary Islands are included in the general scheme. In August, this category reached 111,562 foreign workers, compared with 108,359 in July. This means that the number of foreign contributors in the general scheme rose by 3,203 people in a single month.
The general scheme therefore represents roughly seven out of every 10 foreign workers currently registered with Social Security in the archipelago. This increase confirms that salaried employment continues to be the main driver of the rise in foreign affiliation on the islands.
Foreign self-employed workers also increase
The second largest group is made up of foreign self-employed workers. In August, the Canary Islands recorded 33,824 foreign nationals registered as self-employed, compared with 33,671 in July. This represents an increase of 153 people over the month.
Although the rise among self-employed foreign workers was much smaller than the increase recorded in the general scheme, the figures show that the growth in foreign Social Security enrolment is not limited to salaried employment.
The self-employed category remains an important part of foreign labour activity in the Canary Islands, with more than 33,800 registered contributors.
Agriculture, domestic workers and seafarers
The remaining foreign contributors are distributed across several special Social Security schemes. According to the Ministry’s data, the Canary Islands registered 3,181 foreign workers in the special agricultural scheme in August.
A further 3,225 foreign workers were included in the special scheme for domestic employees. In addition, 730 foreign contributors were registered under the special seafarers’ scheme.
Together, these categories complete the overall figure of 152,523 foreign workers registered with Social Security in the Canary Islands during August.
Almost 3,750 more foreign contributors in one month
The latest figures show a clear monthly increase in foreign employment affiliation in the Canary Islands. Between July and August, the number of foreign workers registered with Social Security rose from 148,776 to 152,523. This represents an increase of 3,747 people.
The strongest rise was recorded in the general scheme, which added 3,203 foreign workers in one month. The self-employed scheme also grew, although more moderately, with 153 additional contributors. The data reflects the continued importance of foreign workers in the Canary Islands’ labour market, particularly in salaried employment.
Growth also continues across Spain
At national level, the number of foreign workers registered with Social Security has continued to grow throughout 2026. In July, Spain exceeded an average of 3.5 million foreign contributors for the first time, reaching 3,512,223 workers. According to Social Security, this represented year-on-year growth of 13.6 per cent.
The official Social Security statistics include detailed series on foreign affiliation by nationality, scheme and territory, allowing comparisons between regions and types of employment. In the Canary Islands, the August figures confirm another monthly rise, with the total number of foreign workers registered with Social Security now standing above 152,500.
