Since its introduction, the Spanish property investment immigration program has been warmly embraced by Chinese investors. According to statistics from the Spanish immigration office, by early 2016, 186,000 Chinese individuals had legally obtained residence permits in Spain. Although some have expressed regret about immigrating to Spain, the majority of Chinese immigrants have successfully settled and found employment. So, what do Chinese immigrants do in Spain?
1. Overview of the Distribution of Chinese Immigrants in Spain
Statistical data shows that Chinese immigrants in Spain primarily reside in Madrid and Catalonia, with populations of 49,831 and 49,773 respectively. The third largest area of residence is Valencia, with a population of 20,475, followed by Andalusia, which has 19,496 residents.
Among these Chinese immigrants, most live in the Spanish capital, Madrid, where 49,831 individuals are mainly distributed in areas such as Usera, Noviciado, Lavapies, and Tetuan. Usera is known as "Chinatown," with 22% of Madrid's Chinese population residing there. The second largest area for Chinese residents is Catalonia, with a total of 49,773 Chinese individuals. The third is Valencia, with 20,475 Chinese residents, and the fourth is Andalusia, with 19,496 Chinese individuals living there.
2. Main Occupations of Immigrants in Spain
1. Overseas Staff
In recent years, Chinese investment in Spain has been steadily increasing, making Spain the seventh largest destination for Chinese investment in Europe. Chinese enterprises primarily invest in infrastructure, real estate, food, finance, entertainment, and shopping centers in Spain. Additionally, due to the Chinese government's strong emphasis on the development of football, many football schools have been established across the country, leading to significant investments by Chinese companies in the Spanish football sector. More and more Chinese advertisements are appearing on the jerseys of Spanish teams, and match times have been adjusted to accommodate Chinese fans. Many Chinese companies investing in Spain have stationed personnel there, including well-known firms such as Huawei and Lenovo.
2. Service Industry Workers
As the disposable wealth of Chinese individuals continues to grow, more and more people are traveling to Spain for study, tourism, shopping, and vacation home purchases. To better serve the Chinese clientele, employers in these industries prefer to hire Chinese staff who can speak English. Many duty-free shops, luxury stores, and outlet malls in Spain frequently employ Chinese staff.
3. Self-Employed Individuals and Entrepreneurs
Spain has over three million self-employed workers, with 300,000 of them being foreign nationals, accounting for one-tenth of the total. Among foreign self-employed individuals, the largest group is Chinese, with 52,536 individuals, making up one-sixth of the total and ranking first among all foreign groups. The second largest group is from Romania with 34,807 individuals, followed by Italy with 23,539, the United Kingdom with 22,142, and Morocco with 19,061. In fact, more than half of the nearly 100,000 Chinese immigrants in Spain are in business for themselves, a proportion that is the highest in the country. In terms of industry, those engaged in commerce are the largest group, followed by the automotive repair industry with 88,743 individuals, the food industry with 56,611, and construction with 34,000.
According to a survey by the Spanish Ministry of Labor, the number of foreign self-employed individuals in Spain has increased by 7% over the past year. In comparison, before the crisis in 2008, there were 240,000 foreign self-employed individuals, which dropped to less than 200,000 during the severe crisis years of 2009 and 2010. In 2011, the numbers began to slowly recover, approaching 300,000 today. These figures indicate that foreign immigrants in Spain are striving to combat the crisis and have achieved significant results, with an increasing number of immigrants engaging in business.
4. Chinese Language Teachers
Statistics show that the total number of people learning Chinese in Spain has surpassed 40,000. Moreover, as Sino-Spanish relations continue to deepen, cultural exchanges between the two countries are becoming more frequent, leading to a growing interest among Spaniards in Eastern culture and an increasing demand for Chinese language teachers. Consequently, many Chinese immigrants choose to teach Chinese in Spain or open Chinese language schools locally.
5. Trade Personnel between China and Spain
With the rapid development of the Chinese economy, trade between China and Spain has become increasingly frequent. Many Chinese individuals are now engaged in the import and export trade of wine, olive oil, clothing, and other sectors between China and Spain.
Immigration introduction: The Spanish property investment immigration policy allows individuals to immigrate to Spain by investing in real estate with a net value of 500,000 euros or more. Additionally, investors in Spain can legally work and conduct business locally. Applicants for the Spanish property investment immigration program must be at least 18 years old, in good health, have health insurance, possess no criminal record, and demonstrate sufficient financial resources to apply.