Thread: Spanish Armada heads to blighty

It's long been many a Brit's dream to trade the (not always)grey skies of England for the sunshine of Spain.
Spain has been one of the top emigration destination for would-be expats for decades. However, recent figures suggest that the UK has become a desirable destination for the Spanish.

It seems that along with the Brits you can’t afford to leave the UK and commit to their dream of Spanish living, the Spanish can’t afford to stay in a Spain that’s teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and a double dip recession.

According to recent immigration figures, the number of Spanish nationals in the UK rose by a whopping 85% in the year to April 2011.

Things in Spain seem to have been getting progressively worse for expats since about 2006…because since then there has been a year on year decrease in expat numbers to the tune of about 30,000.

That’s a significant loss in a nation like Spain where the majority of expats buy or rent property and contribute positively to the economy - if only through their day to day living and spending activity.

It seems that Spain’s attempts to lure Britons back to the nation have so far failed.

Back in May the Spanish Housing Minister attempted to lure British buyers back to the property market in Spain, with promises that new legislation meant all buyers would be well protected. Seemingly many have so far viewed his comments with scepticism…

In the meantime, 25,000 Spanish nationals moved to the UK between April 2010 and April 2011, an increase of 85% on the previous year. This surge in numbers put the Spanish at the top of the list in terms of percentage increases in migrants – ahead of Ireland, Pakistan, Lithuania…

With the news out this week that Spain’s unemployment figures rose in August, it’s easy to see why the Spanish are looking abroad for opportunities.

Emigration from the UK now stands at it's lowest level since 1999, and has fallen from 207'000 in it's 2006 peak, to 124'000 last year. When the figure is adjusted to allow for the number of expats returning to the UK the true figure stands at 43'000.

IMO if Spain wants to lure back expats (not cauliflower heads) and its own nationals it needs to reform the bureaucratic nightmare it is to be self employed there. The "automino" system is ridiculous and encourages people to work "black".
My tuppence worth