In Spain, the population of migrant origin is divided as follows, according to official records and the most recent analyses:


-Foreign population with legal residency: Exceeds 7.4 million people (according to the INE Continuous Population Statistics), representing the vast majority of those with a regularized administrative status in the country. If a broader count is taken of all persons born abroad (including those who have already acquired Spanish nationality), the total figure exceeds 9.4 million.

- Population in an irregular administrative situation: Reference studies (such as those published by Funcas) estimate that around 840,000 people are in an irregular situation, with more than 90% coming from Latin America and many of them finding themselves in a bureaucratic limbo.