SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 5th July (EUROPA PRESS) –
In accordance with data from Istac, the Canary Islands have seen an increase of a total of 72,886 inhabitants from 2014 to the end of 2022. Among these, 6.1% are Europeans from the EU and 23% belong to non-EU countries, which amounts to 21,351 individuals, while 70.7% are Spanish nationals.
The Minister of Finance, Matilde Asián, presented these figures to the parliamentary committee, noting that the European population has remained relatively stable at around 7% over the past eight years, whereas the non-EU population has seen an increase from 4.93% to 5.54%.
Responding to a query from Nationalist Group MP, José Manuel Bermúdez, Asián expressed her surprise at the data, as she had expected a more pronounced increase.
Additionally, she highlighted that Italians are the most prominent among foreign residents, with a noticeable surge, while there has been a decline in the numbers of Germans, British, Belgians, and Nordics. Conversely, there has been an increase in individuals arriving from Africa, America, Asia, and Ukraine.
Bermúdez, however, presented data from the INE indicating that in 2022, 127,166 citizens from EU countries (excluding Ireland and Norway) were registered in the Canary Islands. This contrasts with the fact that 33.5% of homes sold in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife between 2012 and 2023 were acquired by foreigners.
He mentioned, “Thus, over the past 11 years, one out of every three homes has been bought by foreigners, some residing locally while others not, impacting our community’s well-being.”
Furthermore, he pointed out that property purchases by foreigners are predominantly made by Germans and Italians, followed by Belgians. He noted that the Canary Islands account for 26.1% of foreign real estate investments, nearly double the national average for Spain at 14%.
Bermúdez stressed the importance of analysing and addressing the situation, given the housing crisis causing concerns about population growth linked to increased property acquisition.
Emphasising the urgency of the situation, Bermúdez called for restrictions on real estate purchases by foreigners, awaiting the outcomes of a legal study commissioned by the Canary Islands Government. He expressed worry over the excessively high housing prices and warned that failure to take corrective actions could lead to serious consequences. He emphasized the need for the European Union to address the unique challenges faced by the Canary Islands compared to the broader European landscape.
