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Staff Reporter THERE are now more and more foreign people affiliated to the Social Security system in the Balearic Islands than ever before, with figures increasing by 7.5 percent in March in comparison to the same month last year, according to statistics co-ordinated by the Ministry for Work and Social Matters.

The main reason for this sharp increase is the new immigration process that the central Government set into force this year, allowing more and more immigrants to have a legal working status in Spain.

On 31 March the Ministry of Labour and Social Security calculated that there were 44'337 foreign workers affiliated to the Social Security system.
Out of this total, 31'171 foreigners are classified on the General Social Security Register, which is 90 percent of the total, and a 9.1 percent increase compared to the previous month.

The remaining foreigners are classified as Self-Employed, 9'334 (or 21.05 percent), 2'764 as Domestic Workers (6.23 percent), 988 as Agricultural Workers (2.23 percent), and 80 in the Marine Sector (0.18 percent).

The construction sector leads in the General Social Security Register, with 6'906 or 28.5 percent of foreign workers. This sector is followed by the hotel industry, with 6'906 or 22.16 percent of foreign workers, then the vehicle industry (service, sales, repairs and 4'210, 13.5 percent of total), estate agents and business services (3'752, 12 percent) and the manufacturing industry (2'073, 6.6 percent).

The majority of foreigners affiliated to the Social Security system in the Balearic Islands are from non-European Union countries, a total of 25'427 workers, which represents a 7.2 percent increase compared to the previous month.

With regards to European Union workers on the islands, the figures have risen to 18'910 workers, according to the statistics from the Ministry.
The leading countries signed up to the Social Security system are Germany, with 6'991 workers, followed closely by Morocco, with 5'550 workers.
Following Germany and Morocco are workers from Ecuador (4'167), UK (4'015), Italy (3'052), Colombia (2'738), Argentina (2'292) and France (1'506).
There are other nationalities affiliated to the Balearic Social Security system, such as Bulgarians (8'937), Chinese (849), Nigerians (702), Peruvians (654), Cubans (617) and Romanians (616).