In Spain in 2025, the second generation of migrants faces significant challenges on the path to full integration. Young people born in the country to foreign parents are increasingly found among the unemployed and often fail to complete even basic education. According to recent data, nearly one in five of them cannot find work, while the school dropout rate within this group remains among the highest in the country.
Only four out of ten members of this generation earn a secondary education diploma. The situation with higher education is even more concerning: just a quarter of young people from migrant families graduate from university. In comparison, this figure is nearly one and a half times higher among Spaniards. As a result, a significant portion of these young people are at risk of social exclusion and cannot count on a stable future.
This problem is compounded by the fact that many of these teenagers and young adults do not feel ‘at home’ either in Spain or in their parents’ country of origin. At school, they face language and cultural barriers; on the streets, they encounter prejudice and discrimination. In some regions, such as Murcia, local leaders note that teenagers from migrant families often fall outside support systems: they lose friends, drop out of school, and come under street influence. This leads to a rise in petty crime and further alienation from society.
It is estimated that around 3.1 million second-generation migrants live in the country—about 6.4% of the total population. However, the exact number is difficult to determine, as many have already obtained Spanish citizenship. It is important to note that the situation varies depending on the parents’ country of origin: children of immigrants from China, Morocco, France, or the United Kingdom face different challenges and have different starting conditions.
Demographic forecasts suggest that the share of migrant children in schools will continue to grow. They already make up a third of students in primary and secondary classes. At the same time, the education system is not always able to offset the initial difficulties these children face. As a result, their chances of successful employment are significantly lower than those of their peers from Spanish families. Among adults born to migrants, the unemployment rate is nearly twice as high as that of native Spaniards—17% compared to 8%.
Psychological factors also play a significant role. Young people from migrant families often experience an internal conflict between their parents’ expectations and the realities of Spanish society. They have to navigate between two cultures, which often leads to stress, feelings of isolation, and even aggression. In addition, many face racism and prejudice, which only heightens their sense of alienation.
Experts warn that if no action is taken, Spain may follow the path of France, where separate migrant communities formed in the suburbs (banlieues) and now live by their own rules. Already, Spain is seeing a rise in the number of young people who feel isolated and see no prospects. Successful integration requires not only educational reforms, but also support programs that take into account the cultural and psychological characteristics of the second generation.
Overall, the situation demands close attention from both the state and society. Without effective integration in the labor market and education system, the risk of a ‘lost generation’ emerging among migrant children becomes increasingly real.
