The number of irregular migrants who entered Spain last year rose by 82.1% compared to 2022 to 56,852, due to unprecedented arrivals in the Canary Islands archipelago, according to provisional figures released today by the interior ministry.

The annual tally is the largest since 2018, when 64,298 migrants arrived in the country. Spain is one of the main gateways to Europe along with Italy and Greece.

Last year’s increase was mainly due to the record influx recorded in the Canary Islands archipelago, which experienced its worst migration crisis in 2023.

In total, 39,910 migrants landed on these islands located in the Atlantic Ocean, off the northwest coast of Africa, a number increased by 154.5% compared to 2022 which breaks the previous record of 2006. According to the European organization Frontex, these immigrants came mainly from Morocco and Senegal.

The migratory route to the Canary Islands is extremely dangerous. According to the Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras, which cites data from calls from irregular migrants who were in danger at sea or their relatives, more than 7,800 people died between 2018 and 2022 trying to reach the Spanish archipelago from the coast of Africa .

Arrivals to Spain via the Mediterranean, from Morocco or Algeria, increased by 19.1% last year compared to 2022, to 15,435 migrants.

In contrast, the number of migrants entering the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla by crossing their high walls fell by almost 46% to 1,234. The two enclaves, located on Morocco’s northern coast, form the EU’s only land border in Africa.

This reduction, which began in 2022, is linked to the normalization of diplomatic relations between Spain and Morocco, a key partner of Madrid in the fight against irregular immigration.

In this context, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez welcomed at the end of December the agreement reached by the EU states on a reform of the immigration system and the European asylum system which is, as he declared, “fundamental” for Spain.

Despite an increase last year, irregular migrant arrivals in Spain remain almost three times lower than those recorded in Italy, the main gateway to the EU, according to Frontex.