80.4% of Canary Islanders Say Immigrants Should Commit to Learning Spanish, Poll Finds

The survey, conducted by Gesop for Prensa Ibérica and reported by Europa Press, reveals that 80.4% of residents of the Canary Islands believe immigrants should be required to learn the language and adapt to the country’s social norms. This places the islands at the lowest end of the spectrum among Spanish regions.

National Overview

• Across Spain, the figure rises to 85.3%.
• The poll surveyed 1,000 respondents with a margin of error of 3.1%.
• 11.6% disagreed with the statement, while 3.1% were unsure or did not answer.

Age and Education

• Young people are the most supportive:

  • 18‑29 years: 92.3% in favor
  • 30‑44 years: 90.9% in favor
  • 45‑59 years: 83.9% in favor
  • 60+ years: 80% in favor

• Education level also influences opinions:

  • Respondents with low educational attainment: 88.3% support conditional immigration.
  • Those with higher education: 82.8% support the measure.

Regional Differences

• Catalonia leads with 91.1% of residents demanding language learning and social integration from immigrants.

• Madrid follows at 86.5%.

• Support drops to 82.6% in Andalusia, 81.3% in the Basque Country, and 80.4% in the Canary Islands—the lowest among the autonomous communities.

• Municipalities with populations between 10,000 and 100,000 show the strongest backing, exceeding 87%.

Political Party Support

• Vox and People’s Party (PP) voters top the ranking, with 94.4% in each group endorsing the requirement.

• Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) supporters: 80.9% in favor, 15.3% opposed.

• Sumar voters are the least supportive: 63.1% in favor, 32.4% against.

• Among regional parties:

  • Junts voters: 100% in favor (small sample size).
  • ERC (Republican Left of Catalonia) voters: 90.4% in favor.

“The study focuses on migrants arriving from all over the world, and the national average reaches 85.3%,” the poll notes.

The findings highlight a clear majority across Spain—especially among younger and less‑educated citizens—who view language acquisition as a prerequisite for successful integration of immigrants.