Unaccompanied minors arriving by boat will be relocated to mainland Spain within 15 days
From yesterday, Monday, 1st September 2025, all unaccompanied migrant minors arriving in the Canary Islands by boats will be transferred to other regions of Spain within 15 days.
This new measure also applies to the approximately 5,000 minors already under care in the archipelago, who will be gradually relocated over the next year.
Why the change?
The Spanish Government declared a migration emergency for the Canary Islands last week, recognising the extraordinary pressure the islands face as a main entry point for migrant boats.
The Canaries currently host more than triple the number of minors that corresponds to their declared capacity, making them eligible for this mandatory solidarity mechanism. The aim is to relieve pressure on the islands’ child protection services, which have been overwhelmed in recent years by the steady increase in arrivals.
How transfers will work
Each relocation will follow an individual legal procedure, coordinated by the Government’s sub-delegations. The process involves input from the minor, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the receiving community before the new placement is confirmed. Once transferred, guardianship will be assumed by the host region.
What it means for the Canary Islands
For local authorities, the measure provides much-needed relief, ensuring that the responsibility of caring for unaccompanied minors is shared more evenly across Spain.
At the same time, it allows the Canary Islands to continue responding to new arrivals with greater capacity and to maintain better standards of care for children in need of protection.
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