The map of migration toward Spain is being redrawn, and Algeria now sits at its center. According to data published by the International Organization for Migration in its Global Overview of Migration Routes report, Algerian nationals accounted for 42 percent of all arrivals recorded on the western Mediterranean route between January and April 2026, far ahead of every other country of origin. The figure marks a clear shift in migratory pressure along a route that has historically been more evenly contested between several nationalities.
Moroccans, long a dominant presence on this route, now rank second with 22 percent of arrivals, while Sudanese nationals round out the top three with 11 percent. The gap between Algeria and its closest followers is substantial, nearly double the Moroccan share and almost four times the Sudanese one, confirming, according to the IOM, a growing Algerian tilt in the flows using this maritime path toward southern Spain.
In terms of overall volume, the UN agency recorded 5,647 arrivals via the western Mediterranean route over the first four months of the year, a 66 percent increase compared with the same period in 2025. This rise comes even as several other migration routes into Spain are seeing a notable decline, which mechanically increases the relative weight of this western route, and with it the share of Algerian nationals making the crossing.
The trend is not confined to the sea route alone. Land arrivals in Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s two enclaves bordering Morocco, also surged, with 2,164 people recorded over the first four months of 2026, a striking 300 percent increase year on year. Here too, Algerian nationals reportedly make up the majority of these land arrivals, according to the data cited in the IOM report, confirming that this shift goes beyond the maritime route alone to affect every crossing point into Spanish territory.
This statistical shift raises questions about what is driving this Algeria specific dynamic, whether economic pressures at home, difficulties accessing regular visas, or the relative appeal of this route compared with others that have become harder to use. Either way, it places Algeria at the center of upcoming discussions for Spanish authorities and European migration bodies alike on how to manage and regulate the western Mediterranean route, an itinerary whose profile has been fundamentally transformed within just a few months.