Spain’s self-employed workforce has changed significantly over the past decade. Although the total number of self-employed registered workers grew 7.2% between June 2016 and April 2026, reaching 3,463,806 workers, the most notable transformation is seen in the makeup of the cohort: there are more women, more foreign-born self-employed, and fewer professionals with employees on their payroll.
According to a report by the National Federation of Self-Employed Associations, ATA, self-employed individuals who are natural persons have increased 2.1% over ten years, surpassing two million registered. However, this moderate growth hides deep changes in the profile of the self-employed person.
One of the most notable data points is the rise of female entrepreneurship. The number of women who are self-employed has grown 10.4% since 2016, with 71,746 more female affiliates, while the number of male self-employed has fallen 2.4%, with 30,644 fewer affiliates. As a result, women now account for 37.5% of the total self-employed individuals, up from 34.7% a decade ago.
Self-employed workers of foreign origin
Foreign-born entrepreneurs are also gaining ground. Self-employed workers born outside Spain have nearly doubled, with a 93.6% increase and 165,781 more affiliates. They currently represent 17% of the self-employed individuals in the solo-entrepreneur category, up from 9% in 2016.
“The profile of the new self-employed in Spain has changed profoundly in barely a decade. Today we have a more entrepreneurial workforce that is more diverse, more international, and with momentum that does not match the many barriers they face day to day,” said Lorenzo Amor, president of ATA.
The report also reflects a shrinkage in the business size among self-employed individuals who operate as natural persons. Over the last ten years, self-employed without employees have increased by 4.4%, while those with workers have fallen by 6.2%. The decline is particularly steep among those who count only one employee, down 8.6%.
For ATA, this trend highlights the difficulties that small businesses face when hiring. “It is increasingly difficult to sustain employment in small firms. The self-employed face legal uncertainty and burdens that make them hesitate to hire new staff,” Amor said.
Another rising phenomenon is multiactivity, that is, the combination of a traditional job with a self-employed activity. This profile has grown 83.4% in the last decade, reaching 174,380 people.
By sector, services continue to dominate the bulk of self-employed individuals, accounting for almost 75% of the total and showing a 4% growth over ten years. Construction is also advancing, with an 11.5% increase. In contrast, agriculture loses 31,048 affiliates, a 13.2% drop, and industry retreats 12.4%.
The overall evolution of the cohort shows a more diverse and globalized self-employed population, but also a smaller enterprise base, with less capacity to generate direct employment.
