The immigration history in Spain is also the trajectory of how, little by little, a more diverse and connected Europe has been woven. Each migratory wave (of those who arrived and left Spain) has left its mark on the language, the food, the music, the neighbourhood and, above all, on the way in which we relate to each other and sustain ourselves from a distance.
At Curiara We see this history from a very specific point of view, that of those who today live in Europe and continue to care for their families in Venezuela and other Latin American countries, turning each dispatch into a daily gesture of presence.
Therefore, looking back and understanding how Spain has changed thanks to immigration helps us to give context to what you are building today: a life between shores that adds cultural diversity to the country where you live.
Early movements: Spain was also a country that emigrated
Although there is much talk today about those who arrive, for much of contemporary history, Spain was above all a country that emigrated. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of people left for Latin America (especially Argentina, Cuba and Venezuela) looking for work and opportunities.
That diaspora left deep links between Spain and America that are still alive even today. We are talking about families spread across continents, shared surnames and customs that crossed the Atlantic in both directions. Understanding this helps to remind us that migration is neither new nor alien to Spanish identity.
The turning point: when Spain began to receive immigrants
The big change came at the end of the 20th century. From the 1990s onwards and, above all, in the first decade of the 2000s, Spain went from being a country where its population emigrated to the rest of the world. become one of the main immigration destinations in Europe.
Economic growth, EU accession and the demand for labour in sectors such as construction, care and hospitality drove the influx of people from many different countries.
According to the data collected, the The immigrant population grew from less than one million at the beginning of the century to more than 6.9 million in 2025. That is around one in seven people living in the country, a huge demographic change in a very short time.
Where do the people who support diversity come from?
Today the immigration in Spain is diverse, but with clear patterns. The largest nationality is still Moroccan, with almost 969,000 people in 2025. It is followed by communities such as the Colombian, Romanian, Venezuelan, Italian, British, Chinese, Peruvian, Ukrainian, or Honduran., among many others.
The most recent table indicates, for example, that the Venezuelan community from just over 58,000 people in 2012 to over 377,000 in 2025. In other words, has increased more than six-fold in little more than a decade., The Venezuelan government's decision to move to Spain and, in general, to Europe, reflects the intensity of the movement of Venezuelan society towards Spain and, in general, towards Europe.
Immigration and cultural diversity: how the country's landscape is changing
The arrival of people from so many different places has had a direct impact on everyday life. In the big cities, but also in villages and rural areas, immigration has transformed the range of shops, gastronomy, local festivals, languages that are heard in the street and even the timetables of the neighbourhoods.
In the cultural sphere, Latin music festivals, gastronomic fairs, migrant artists' collectives and film seasons dedicated to other countries have multiplied. Many municipal cultural centres now include activities designed with diversity in mind, and schools have classrooms where several languages are spoken at recess.
A recent report on youth in Spain points out that 28% of young people have a migrant background and that more than half of young people consider that immigration enriches culture and society. This means that diversity is no longer a novelty, but part of the normality of a whole generation.
Spain and Europe: a shared history of mobility
The immigration history in Spain cannot be separated from Europe's migratory history. For decades, Spain exported labour The EU was also receiving people from Latin America and North Africa.
Today the map is even more mixed because there are Spaniards living in other EU countries, Europeans who settle in Spain for work or quality of life, and people from outside the EU who see Europe as a place where they can rebuild their future. This constant movement of people, The European Union, with its different identities, accents and customs, is what sustains a more plural Europe, in which many identities (including Spain's) are now understood as open realities, in movement.
If you want to see what it's like to live this experience from the inside, Curiara's article on being a migrant in Spain and building stability, where all the information on resources and networks that accompany those who arrive is collected.
The Curiara Gaze: Migrating as an act of care
From the perspective of a brand such as Curiara, the immigration history in Spain intersects with thousands of individual care stories. Every person who settles in Spain or in another European country and sends money to his or her family is doing more than just transferring; It is transforming the economic into the emotional, the everyday into the heroic.
Migrating is not being absent, it is an active act of love. It is not simply a displacement, but a bond that extends. That is why we speak of those who sustain from afar, of those who convert sending money in a way to stay present, even if they cannot be physically present.
In this regard, the Spain's cultural diversity is not only sustained by laws or public policies, but by the daily gestures of millions of people who work, care, send, call, organise, celebrate and build community.
Yes today you live in Spain or in another European country and you support your family from afar, you are part of this story. You are not only adapting to a new country, you are also contributing your language, your humour, your recipes, your music and your way of understanding care to the cultural fabric of the place.
At Curiara we want to accompany you in every gesture, offering you a safe, clear and humane platform for send money from Europe to Venezuela, with a narrative that recognises you as the protagonist of the story, not an exception. If you want to know more about how to get the most out of your effort, you can read our article on benefits of using Curiara over other alternatives.