Irregular migrant arrivals to the Canaries by boat have dropped by 60% in 2025
The number of irregular migrants reaching the Canary Islands by boat has fallen sharply in 2025, with 17,555 arrivals recorded up to mid-December, a 59.9% decrease compared with the 43,737 arrivals registered in 2024, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior.
So far this year, 259 small boats have reached the archipelago, 59.7% less than the 643 that arrived in 2024. The drop places 2025 well below the peaks seen in previous years, particularly the historic highs of last year, 2023 (39,910) and 2006, during the so-called “cayuco crisis”, when 31,678 migrants arrived.
At national level, Spain has registered 35,935 irregular arrivals up to 15th December, a drop of 40.4% compared with the same period in 2024, which registered 60,311. This marks a clear shift after the dramatic increases seen in 2023 and 2024, when arrivals reached 56,852 and 63,970 respectively, among the highest figures of the past decade. The all-time record remains 2018, with 64,298 arrivals.
Compared with the past eight years, 2025 ranks below five of them, with only 2017 (28,349), 2019 (32,513) and 2022 (30,048) showing lower figures.
Maritime Arrivals Drop 44.3% in Spain
Between 1st January and 15th December, Spain registered 32,212 maritime arrivals, 44.3% fewer than the 57,833 recorded in the same period of 2024. These arrivals were spread across 1,209 boats, 518 fewer than last year.
Of these, 14,627 migrants reached the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands (7,332 to the mainland and 7,295 to the Balearics), representing a slight increase of 4.1% compared with 2024. The number of boats reaching these areas totalled 939, 130 fewer than last year.
The mainland saw 983 fewer maritime arrivals than in 2024 (an 11.8% decrease), arriving on 539 boats, 188 fewer year on year. By contrast, the Balearic Islands experienced a 27.3% rise, receiving 1,563 more migrants than in 2024, on 400 boats (58 more).
Share:
