Migration from Balearics almost doubles

MORE than 13,000 Balearic residents left the islands in the past six years to work abroad, due to the financial crisis. The figure translates into a staggering 91 per cent increase if compared with the data of 2009.

Back then, the Balearic Islands had registered 14,176 citizens living in foreign countries. By January 1 of 2015, that number had reached 27,168 people. 

During the economic boom years, more than 30,000 people from all corners of the world arrived in the islands. However, the numbers started showing a negative trend in 2009 – immigration started falling and emigration reached historic levels.

Since then, the increase in Balearic citizens leaving to work abroad has been constant, divided into two kinds of migrants.

On the one hand, foreigners who arrived in the islands as immigrants and were granted nationality have returned to their countries of origin. The number of Spanish Balearic citizens born in foreign countries and living outside of Spain went from 8,421 in 2009 to 18,948 in 2015.

On the other hand, the number of Balearic-born Spanish citizens migrating to other countries has gone from 5,755 in 2009, to 8,220 this year, an increase of 48 per cent.