Frontex, the EU border agency, reports a big drop in irregular arrivals to Europe this year. Over the first eight months of 2026, arrivals fell 35 percent compared with the same period in 2025. The decline affects almost every major migration route from Africa, including a 58 percent drop towards the Canary Islands and 55 percent towards Italy. One route, however, is bucking the trend.
The corridor linking Algeria to Spain was the only one to rise, up 34 percent year on year. Between 1 January and 31 August, Frontex recorded 6,654 irregular crossings by Algerians towards the Balearic Islands or beaches in southern mainland Spain. They make up just over 40 percent of the 15,909 people who took this route, ahead of Moroccans at 30 percent. Across all routes, Algerians are now the largest group entering Europe illegally after Bangladeshis and Sudanese.
Frontex says the rise reflects a shift in smuggling routes. Tighter controls in Morocco and on neighbouring routes in West Africa and the central Mediterranean have pushed more departures towards Algerian coasts. A lesser-known route to Sardinia is also growing. According to the UN refugee agency, 2,498 people had arrived there from Algeria by 27 September, against 983 in the same period in 2025.
Sociologists say the departures reflect deep discontent among young Algerians. One expert said the government rules without a social base and offers only vague promises and nationalist rhetoric, with no real prospects for young people. Others note that many migrants are highly qualified and leave because of high housing costs and weak rural economies. Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras counted 507 deaths on the Algerian route between January and May, up 54.6 percent on 2025, meaning one person dies at that border every seven hours.
Reference
Kessous, M. (2026, September 29). L’Algérie, principal pays de départ de migrants vers l’Espagne [Algeria becomes main departure country for migrants heading to Spain]. Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2026/09/29/l-algerie-principal-pays-de-depart-de-migrants-vers-l-espagne_6785682_3212.html