Torrevieja PANGEA Office served a third fewer foreigners in 2023

The PANGEA Service in Torrevieja, Office of Attention to Migrant Persons, is a resource of the Department of Coexistence and Integration of the town council for reception, information and advice for the immigrant population residing in Torrevieja.

PANGEA brings information and resources closer to the immigrant population, provides advice on immigration, interculturality and cultural keys to professionals and associations, and improves the reception and integration process of immigrants. 

The Councillor for Coexistence and Integration, Óscar Urtasun, head of the PANGEA agency in Torrevieja, has announced the activities directly organised and promoted in 2023.

In 2023, a total of 1,943 people were served at the PANGEA office, 57% of whom were women and 43% men, representing a total of 60 countries, serving a total of 716 people by telephone and a total of 1,227 people in person.

The most attended countries have been Colombia with 19%, Russia 18%, Morocco 11%, the United Kingdom 6%, European Union countries 4%, and the rest of non-EU countries 41%.

The year before, the Councillor for International Residents, Gitte Lund Thomsen, who was head of the PANGEA agency, reported that in 2022, a total of 3,157 people were served in this municipal office, around a third more than last year, 55% women and 45% men, representing a total of 68 countries, 8 more than last year.

In 2022 a total of 1,660 people were assisted by telephone, more than double the 2023 figure. The countries most attended by telephone were Colombia, with 17% of the calls, followed by Russia with 13%, Morocco with 10% and countries of the European Union with 5%.

In 2021, a total of 2,327 people were assisted to obtain information and advice at the PANGEA office, at the time, around 400 more than last year, Morocco, Colombia, and the United Kingdom were the top 3. In percentage terms, in 2021, around 13% of the people served at the office were from the UK, compared to the 6% in 2023, perhaps confirming once again the decline in interest in Torrevieja by the Brits.

Overall, the 2023 figures show a considerable decrease in the number of foreigners dealt with by the office, a decline of more than a third.

During 2023, the most discussed topics were: Residence due to roots (44%), Immigration/National Police (29%), Spanish courses (19%) and other information (8%).

During the past year, two Spanish courses were developed for foreign immigrants in the process of obtaining residency, through theoretical-practical workshops, in which the levels of the Spanish language were taught: Literacy and Basic, organised in collaboration with the ATIS association.

In addition, an Islamophobia workshop was held in collaboration with the Moroccan Association for the Integration of Immigrants, focused on hate crimes, and the First Football World Cup was held with the motto “Integration through sport”, which brought together players from 10 countries that belong to the different communities settled in our municipality.