Non-European Immigration, socio-economic benefits and dynamics of inclusion in Spain. Do immigrants consume a disproportionate share of Social Service benefits?

Abstract

The problematisation of migration has intensified in Europe over the last decade, as the Financial Crisis of 2008 dealt a major blow to social welfare instruments. This context has reinforced the idea that immigrants would consume a disproportionate share of socio-economic resources available through social services, thus displacing the local population. This article examines the case of Spain, analysing the dynamics of accessing socioeconomic inclusion policies developed by public Social Services among immigrants and non-immigrants at risk of social exclusion, based on different secondary sources. The paper shows that is there no evidence that social services resources are being displaced for the socio-economic inclusion of the immigrant population.