The Great Spanish Exodus

 

Data released today by Spain's National Institute of Statistics (INE) has shown how as many as 7,000 Spaniards left the country for each month of 2012, on top of the many expats expatriates who chose to leave Spain.

Over 55,000 left the country during the third quarter of 2012 alone - representing a 20% increase on the same period a year earlier.

This brings the total number of people leaving Spain since January 2011 to 927,890 people, of which 117,523 were Spanish Citizens and 810,367 were foreign.

Of this number 542,724 were Men and 385,166 were women.

Taking into account the difference between those arriving in the country and those leaving, the net balance for this period showed a loss of some 137,628 people. Of this number 25'329 were Spaniards and 112'089 were foreigners.

This past weekend Germany's Federal Employment Agency reported that over 49,400 Spaniards found jobs in Germany last year, an increase of 15.8% over 2011.

This comes at a time when Spain is losing over 2,000 jobs a day due to the economic crisis and spending cuts, and with unemployment in Spain now standing atr 26.6%.