Spain exceeds 3.5 million foreign workers, but their retention is at stake in the first six months

Spain has reached a record number of foreign workers registered with the Social Security system: more than 3.51 million, according to official data cited from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration. This figure represents more than 15.6% of the total number of people in employment in the country and confirms the growing importance of the international workforce in the Spanish labour market.

The increase in foreign recruitment is a response to a dynamic labour market, marked by record employment figures in the Social Security system and a gradual decline in unemployment. With the National Minimum Wage set at €1,220 per month, Spain is consolidating its position as an attractive destination for international professionals and workers.

However, the growth in registrations does not, by itself, resolve one of the main challenges facing companies: retaining foreign workers during their first six months. The integration of these professionals often creates difficulties that go beyond their technical skills or the administrative procedures required to formalise their arrival.

Sectors in need of international workers

International recruitment is linked to staff shortages affecting various areas of the Spanish economy. These include technology, healthcare, services, hospitality, logistics, agriculture, care work and cleaning.

In the field of technology and digitalisation, there is high demand for systems analysts, software engineers and data scientists. The development of companies and the need to recruit specialised professionals have made these workers important for filling roles linked to the digital transformation.

The healthcare sector also continues to have a steady demand for specialist doctors and nurses, a need worsened by the ageing population. The recruitment of professionals from other countries allows this staff shortage to be addressed, at least partially.

These areas are joined by services, hospitality and logistics. Logistics centres, e-commerce, tourism and catering account for a significant proportion of job opportunities, particularly in major urban centres such as Madrid and Barcelona.

There are also seasonal opportunities in the agricultural sector, as well as high demand for workers caring for elderly people and providing cleaning services. Taken together, these sectors demonstrate the breadth of labour needs and the importance foreign workers have acquired for the operation of numerous activities.

Recruitment does not end with signing the contract

Although international recruitment is presented as a direct way to ease staff shortages, companies face a subsequent problem: professionals remaining in their roles. Turnover during the first few months can undermine the effort made to find, select and onboard talent from other countries.

The main difficulties include the language barrier, adapting to the local corporate culture and the emotional strain associated with isolation. For someone arriving in a new country, joining a company is not limited to learning their tasks, working hours and responsibilities. It also involves navigating a different social and professional environment, with new communication rules and ways of working.

A lack of support during this stage can make workers feel neglected or abandoned. In this context, the employment relationship can break down even before the professional has completed their first six months at the company.

“Recruiting foreign professionals should not be viewed as a mere administrative procedure or a conventional onboarding process. When we bring talent from abroad, we are importing an entire life, together with its emotional and sociocultural context,” explains Luciane Rabello, an HR specialist and founder of TalentSphere People Solutions.

The expert believes one of the most common mistakes is assuming that signing the contract guarantees the worker will stay. In her view, organisations must take into account the adaptation needs that emerge after recruitment.

“If the company does not provide psychological support, assistance with linguistic adaptation and a clear cultural integration plan, the worker feels abandoned and ends up leaving the role even during the first six months,” says Rabello.

The cost of early turnover

The premature departure of a foreign worker has consequences for companies. When a professional leaves their role shortly after joining, the organisation must restart the selection process and once again deal with the bureaucratic procedures associated with international recruitment.

These costs are compounded by the loss of productivity resulting from early departures. The company not only fails to benefit from the investment made in onboarding, but must also devote the time needed to find and prepare another person for the same role.

This situation can harm companies’ competitiveness, particularly in sectors already struggling to fill vacancies. International recruitment broadens access to talent, but its effectiveness depends on the professional finding the conditions needed to carry out their work and remain with the organisation.

Welcome plans before and after arrival

To reduce turnover, specialist consultancies advocate introducing 360-degree support plans. These programmes should cover the various stages of onboarding, from the period before arrival through to adapting to working and social life in Spain.

The proposed measures include assistance with relocation processes, intensive language immersion courses and the creation of internal support networks. There is also a need to provide emotional support so that workers can cope more effectively with the change of country and environment.

Cultural integration also plays a central role. Understanding the company’s dynamics, forms of communication and workplace expectations can facilitate relationships between new employees and their teams. For organisations, this process also makes it possible to draw greater benefit from the diversity of experiences and perspectives.

“An effective retention programme begins even before the professional sets foot in the office,” adds Luciane Rabello. The specialist maintains that leading companies are replacing a purely reactive response with a more human and sustainable welcome strategy.

According to this view, integration should not be limited to resolving the procedures required for the worker to join the company. It should also cover linguistic, cultural and emotional adaptation, as well as the creation of connections within the organisation.

Diversity as part of business strategy

The record number of foreign workers registered with the Social Security system reflects the importance international mobility has acquired in the Spanish labour market. The presence of more than 3.51 million foreign workers allows companies to broaden their options at a time when several sectors need to fill jobs.

But the growth of international recruitment poses an additional challenge: turning professionals’ arrival into a stable employment relationship. The lack of comprehensive onboarding can encourage turnover during the first few months and cause companies to lose talent before it has had a chance to become established.

A commitment to support, language training, psychological assistance and cultural integration aims to address this challenge. As well as helping workers to remain with the company, these measures can help build more cohesive teams and turn diversity into an element linked to innovation and economic performance.

TalentSphere People Solutions, an initiative specialising in multicultural talent management and business development in international contexts, advocates this approach based on its experience in Spain and Brazil. The organisation is led by Luciane Rabello, a psychologist, lecturer and specialist in people management and multiculturalism.

The proposal is based on a combination of research, international experience and a background in strategic people management. Its approach positions multicultural integration as a relevant part of talent management rather than as a procedure carried out after recruitment.

In a labour market that already has a record presence of foreign workers, the question for Spanish companies is not simply how to attract international professionals. They must also decide how to support them so that they can adapt, develop their work and remain with the organisation.