Non-Spaniards put more into welfare state than they get out

Immigrants contribute "much more" to the welfare state, especially in education, health and pensions, than they receive, since they now make up 12% of the poulation and yet only account for 5.6% of the use of these services.

This is the main conclusion of a study on "Immigration and the Welfare State in Spain" which has looked into the contribution made by non-Spaniards to the country's economic growth and the strength of the social security system, and the use they make of social services, concluding that they actually make a "positive net contribution".

Even illegal immigrants contribute to the system by paying indirect taxes, consuming goods and doing work that allows Spanish women to get back into the labour market.

"This reality is a direct contrast to the general perception society has and which needs to be reversed through information and education", stressed the director general of the Fundación la Caixa, Jaime Lanaspa, as he presented the results of the study.