Asian Immigrants in Spain: An Overview

Abstract

Asian communities in Spain are not very well known in spite of their long settlement and growing population in the country. Spain's transition as a destination for economic migrants has attracted various Asian groups. However, within the growing number of migration studies in Spain, Asians are rarely the focus of inquiry. This article presents an overview of the origin, evolution and current characteristics of the main Asian communities in Spain. The diverse origins of Asian immigrants on the one hand, and the development of migration policies and the economic structure of Spain on the other, are part of the general context within which to understand the settlement of Asian immigrants.