Narayan AmmachchiA growing wave of Latin American tech professionals is making Spain their new home, as the country opens its doors to fill a widening tech talent gap.
Over 415,000 Argentines now live in Spain. Colombians lead recent arrivals, with nearly 39,000 moving in during early 2025 alone. “Shared language, culture and time-zone advantages with Latin America are some of the major factors,” said Celeste Anderson, Chief Revenue Officer at Jalasoft, a nearshore software development firm.
“During and following COVID-19, we saw Latin American talent first go to Miami, then shift toward Spain because of the economic and political uncertainties back home. It made Spain an appealing long-term base.”
In the first quarter of 2025, Spain’s population grew by 119,000. Nearly 40% of these newcomers came from Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Argentina.
One major reason for the inflow: Spain’s fast-track citizenship process. Latin Americans can apply for nationality after just two years of legal and continuous residence — compared to up to ten years for most other foreigners. Spain also allows family reunification with relative ease. Spouses, children, and dependent parents can live and work legally, making the country even more attractive.
While some Latin Americans arrive through Spain’s digital nomad visa, others are hired directly by Spanish companies. Between January 2024 and March 2025, around 90% of new jobs in Spain were filled by immigrants.
Digital Nomads
Spain’s digital nomad visa has become a magnet for Latin American professionals.
María Eugenia Blasco, partner at Immigration and International Mobility, told El Confidencial that about 70% of the highly qualified professional permits her firm processed were for people from Latin America.
“The most prominent sectors are related to technology, IT consulting, engineering, software development, and cybersecurity.”
According to the Permanent Immigration Observatory, nearly 13,000 Latin Americans obtained digital nomad visas in 2023. Most choose Valencia, Barcelona, Alicante, and A Coruña — cities offering a strong tech ecosystem and good quality of life.
Digital nomads in Spain can opt to pay 24% tax as non-residents, a lower rate than the 30–47% range that residents face. The pay jump is also striking. In Latin America, (non-bilingual) tech professionals earn about €50,250 annually. In Spain, the average salary climbs to €69,167.
Talent Shortage
Spain’s need for ICT professionals is massive. To meet EU 2030 targets, the country must have 1.39 million new tech specialists.
“Many Latin American professionals are finding not only tech-sector roles but also opportunities in adjacent fields that are undergoing digital transformation,” said Isidro Helder, Chief Revenue Officer at Globalli, a global workforce management services provider.
Now living in Spain, Isidro added that Latin Americans’ adaptability makes them especially valuable in the country’s evolving labor market.
A Reuters report noted that Spain is mirroring U.S.-style economic growth by drawing global talent.
“The more America places restrictions and high price tags on work visas — the more countries like Spain will keep their visa policies in place for longer since it makes sense,” said Dan Herbatschek, CEO and Founder of Ramsey Theory Group.
“Spain has an aging population and notable skill gaps — especially in tech — so they want to attract workers and give them an optimal way of life rather than restrict it.”
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