The Canary Islands have seen a significant drop in the arrivals of irregular migrants, according to new data. The archipelago is a huge favourite with holidaying Brits, attracting them in their thousands.

In recent years, it has also been a magnet for asylum seekers looking to build a better life for themselves in Europe. However the trend appears to have been reversed this year, with migrant arrivals dropping by 60%. So far in 2025, 259 small boats have reached the archipelago, 59.7% less than the 643 that arrived in 2024.

The drop places these past 12 months well below the peaks seen in previous years, particularly the historic highs of 2024, 2023 (39,910) and 2006, during the so-called “cayuco crisis”, when 31,678 migrants arrived.

The Balearics have also had to deal with a rising influx of asylum seekers arriving by small boats.

Last year saw a huge surge in migrant numbers, with a total of 5,596 migrants coming ashore from 333 boats. This represented an increase of 155% from the previous year, when a total of 2,194 people arrived in 137 boats

The government of the Balearic Islands has called for a “drastic change” in Spain’s immigration policy to help combat the crisis.

The president of the Balearic Islands government has previously criticised Madrid for “the total lack of control” over the arrival of migrant boats.

Marga Prohens blamed the lack of troops from the State Security Forces and Corps (FFCCSE) for the situation.

She added: “The lack of FFCCSE troops is linked to difficulties in controlling the worrying crime data in the Balearic Islands.

“As a government, we can only share the concern that this brings to citizens, especially when migrants arriving on the shores of the Islands face them with defiant and obscene gestures.”

The Canaries appears to have become the major entry point for migrants arriving from Algeria.

There have been calls for Spain’s government to engage urgently with Algeria over the migrant problem.

Tensions between the two countries reached a crisis point in 2022, when Algeria’s government unilaterally suspended relations with Madrid.