Asylum applications and sea arrivals decline, but international protection needs among people arriving in Spain persist

Decline in sea and land arrivals, but risks persist

In 2025, there were 36,775 sea and land arrivals to Spain, compared to more than 64,000 the previous year, representing a 43% reduction. However, UNHCR stresses that a decrease in numbers does not necessarily mean a reduction in international protection needs and may, in some cases, reflect stricter obstacles to departure or transit, increased risks, or changes in routes — factors that can translate into greater vulnerability and danger for people on the move.

Route-based analysis is key. Along the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands, arrivals fell by around 62% compared to 2024, with an uptick concentrated in the final months of the year and lower figures during the summer. Despite the overall reduction, there has been greater diversification of points of departure, which may entail longer and more dangerous journeys.

At the same time, arrivals to the Balearic Islands increased by 24% in 2025, pointing to a partial shift of flows toward the western Mediterranean. This increase included people with clear protection needs, among them women, boys and girls, from countries affected by violence and humanitarian crises.

“The decline in sea arrivals reflects multiple factors, including conditions in countries of origin and departure, weather conditions, and control and cooperation measures between States. These factors may shift movement patterns, leave people stranded or diverted to other pathways and dangerous routes,” said Paula Barrachina, UNHCR spokesperson.

Asylum and international protection

According to official data, 144,396 people applied for international protection in Spain in 2025, a 14% decrease compared to the previous year. This reduction may be explained, among other factors, by the entry into force of new immigration regulations that facilitate other pathways to regularization. In this context, the recent measure announced by the Government of Spain may help provide a more appropriate response to the different migratory situations in Spain and preserve the right to asylum for those who have fled conflict and persecution and need international protection. During the same period, decisions increased by 67%, reflecting a significant processing effort and underscoring the need to continue investing in human and material resources to strengthen the asylum system and avoid bottlenecks and prolonged waiting periods.

Most asylum applicants were Venezuelan nationals, with more than 85,000 applications (59% of the total), representing a 29% increase compared to 2024. They were followed by Malian nationals, with 16,000 applications — 50% more than the previous year — and Colombian nationals who, despite a 64% year-on-year decrease, remained the third-largest group with approximately 14,000 applications.

In 2025, Spain granted international protection to 75,274 people (47% of resolved applications). Of these, 7,838 were granted refugee status, 10,103 subsidiary protection, and 57,333 humanitarian protection, the majority Venezuelan nationals. In addition, 30,375 people applied for temporary protection, of whom 29,600 were Ukrainian nationals.

Most asylum applications were lodged within Spanish territory (134,895). This reflects that many people applied for asylum after arriving in Spain by air, particularly from Latin American countries such as Venezuela and Colombia.

International protection profiles persist

Regarding the profiles of refugees who arrived in Spain in 2025 — by sea, land, or air — UNHCR emphasizes that people continue to seek protection from contexts of conflict and protracted humanitarian crises, with international protection needs and high levels of vulnerability. Forty-one percent of applications were submitted by women and girls, a figure that reinforces the need to maintain gender- and age-sensitive approaches in reception and protection systems.

In the Canary Islands, a significant proportion of those arriving by sea were Malian nationals (37%), coming from a country marked by violence and forced displacement both internally and across the central Sahel region. This reality is also reflected in the increase in asylum applications lodged by Malians, which rose from 6% of the total in 2024 to 11% in 2025. An increase in highly vulnerable women with international protection needs has also been observed in the Canary Islands, many of whom have experienced extreme violence both in their countries of origin and during transit.

At the same time, arrivals were recorded along other routes, with an increase in Somali and Malian nationals to the Balearic Islands and Sudanese nationals to Ceuta, confirming that protection needs persist.

“While arrivals declined, there is no indication that overall protection needs or the drivers of displacement have decreased. The risks along the routes remain high. Maritime routes — particularly the route to the Canary Islands — continue to be extremely dangerous, and we remain deeply concerned about deaths and disappearances at sea, as well as the risks of violence, exploitation and human trafficking along the journey,” said the UNHCR spokesperson.

Safe pathways and sustainable solutions

In this context, UNHCR reiterates the importance of cooperation between countries focusing on sustainable solutions, including protection along routes, humanitarian assistance, and access to safe and regular pathways. Without accessible alternatives — such as family reunification, resettlement, or other complementary pathway — many people will continue to be forced to resort to dangerous routes. In 2025, Spain maintained its commitment to these safe pathways through resettlement: 861 refugees from Lebanon and Costa Rica arrived under this program (30% women and 37% children), a pathway that guarantees protection to those most in need without having to risk their lives along the way.