Press Release 26/09/2024

MIGRATORY MOVEMENTS STATISTICS. 2023

In 2023, the migratory balance of the Basque Country remained positive by 20,928 people

The migratory balance with foreign countries fell by 18%, while the balance with the autonomous regions returned to a positive figure of 1,814 people

In 2023, the migratory balance remained positive, standing at 20,928 people, although it fell by 5.6% compared to 2022 (22,171 people), according to Eustat data. 58,568 immigrants arrived compared to 59,194 in 2022, a drop of 1.1%. Meanwhile, the number of emigrations rose slightly, going from 37,023 in 2022 to 37,640 in 2023, an increase of 1.7%.

The migratory balance followed a slight upward trend throughout the year: it was positive between January and June by 9,591 people, and higher in the second half of the year with 11,337 people.

By province, Bizkaia recorded the highest migratory balance, with 11,622 people, as well as the smallest decrease in respect of 2022 (-1.4%); Gipuzkoa had a positive balance of 6,097 people and the biggest decrease (14.3% less than in 2022) and in Álava the balance was 3,209 (2% less).

As regards the capitals, all three recorded positive balances: 3,839 in Bilbao, 1,241 in San Sebastián and 2,405 in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

In relation to the movements that occurred between the Basque Country and the other autonomous regions, there was a positive balance of 1,814 people in 2023, something which has not happened since 2019. Meanwhile, the balance with foreign countries was also positive, standing at 19,114 people, although it was down 18% on 2022.

External or extra-community geographical mobility (i.e. changes of residence to or from locations outside the Basque Country) remained almost stable, going from 44 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2022 to 43.8 in 2023. By province, it increased by nearly 2 points in Álava, reaching 48.5‰, while it fell by 1.5 points in Gipuzkoa to stand at 41.1‰ and remained at 44.1‰ in Bizkaia.

In 2023 the migratory balance with the autonomous regions was positive (+1,814 people), while in 2022 it was negative (-1,153 people)

If we take into account the migratory movements with the different autonomous regions, the Basque Country maintained a positive migratory balance with 11 of them, while the balance with the other 6 was negative. Thus, in 2023, the balance was 1,814 more people compared to the negative balance of 1,153 the previous year.

In order, the autonomous regions that attracted the most emigrants from the Basque Country were as follows: Castilla y León, Madrid, Cantabria, Catalonia and Andalusia. Between the five of them, they received 56.5% of the people who left the Basque Country for other regions. The total number of migrations to other autonomous regions was 19,677.

In descending order, the autonomous regions that contributed the most immigrants were as follows: Madrid, Castilla y León, Andalusia, Catalonia and Cantabria. Between the five of them, they contributed 58.5% of the total immigrants from the rest of Spain. The total number of migrations from other autonomous regions was 21,491.

Andalusia was the autonomous region that recorded the highest positive balance, with 647 people, and La Rioja had the most negative, with 217.

Almost 70% of immigrants and 50% of emigrants were foreign nationals

The average age of immigrants increased by more than half a year, to 33.1, while the average age of emigrants was 37.1 years old. 50.9% of immigrations and 47.4% of emigrations were by people in the 20-39 age group. The most common age groups were 25-29 year olds, which accounted for 15.2% of immigrations and 14% of emigrations, and 30-34 year olds, which were responsible for 13.2% of immigrations and 13.3% of emigrations.

Differences in relation to gender increased slightly compared to the previous year: men represented 52.5% of immigrants and women 47.5%; similarly, 53.8% of emigrants were men and 46.2% were women.

The number of immigrations of foreign nationals stood at 40,957 in 2023, i.e. 69.9% of all immigrations. Of these, 33,316 came directly from a foreign country (81.3%) and the rest (7,641) came from another autonomous region (18.7%), primarily Madrid, Catalonia and Andalusia.

Emigrations of foreign nationals rose to 18,695, accounting for 49.7% of total emigrations. The destination for 72% of them was abroad. As a result, the migratory balance of foreign nationals was positive by 22,262 in 2023, compared to 25,354 in 2022, i.e. 12.2% lower than in the previous year.

60% of the changes of residence among the Basque population occurred within the Basque Country itself

10.9% of the Basque population changed their place of residence in 2023, with this mobility being within the Basque Country on 60% of occasions, whilst in the other cases the mobility was extra-community.

In total, 240,211 changes of normal places of residence were recorded in the Basque Country. Of these, 91,045 were changes of address within the same municipality. Intra-community mobility, in other words, where the origin and destination are different municipalities of the Basque Country, increased to 52,958 movements.

There were also 58,568 cases of extra-community or external immigration, which are those that have their origin outside the autonomous region and where the destination is the Basque Country. Of these cases, 37,077 came from abroad, 5.6% less than in 2022.

Finally, there were 37,640 cases of external or extra-community emigration, in other words, changes in the place of residence from a municipality of the Basque Country to a destination outside the region, 47.7% (17,963) of which were abroad.

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tel.: 945 01 75 62