Delivery work: the gold rush that has run out for migrants in Spain

Eight years on: delivery work in Spain is no longer a gold mine for migrants

Omar, a Venezuelan living in southern Madrid, recalls that eight years ago he earned far more as a Glovo courier. Today, he says, the sector has collapsed: the massive arrival of migrants has saturated delivery work and incomes have plummeted. His story, shared through La Blue Kombi, has become a barometer of what is happening in the Spanish gig economy labour market.

Omar's story is not an isolated case. For years, delivery was the fast track for newcomers: with no papers or experience, anyone could make money on a bicycle. That era is over. The pile-up of workers in the same sector has driven per-order rates down and turned getting a shift into a daily battle. Meanwhile, rents have kept rising, squeezing even further the finances of those who emigrated seeking stability.

Some argue that immigration pushes wages down and drives up housing costs. They point out that newcomers are willing to accept worse conditions, and that competition among migrants themselves ends up hurting everyone. On the other side, the response is that the problem lies not with migrants but with the regulation of the platforms and an uncontrolled housing market. The reality, as usual, is more uncomfortable: both factors combine.

Omar's advice for anyone thinking of emigrating now is clear: save three or four months of expenses before making the leap. The question that remains is whether the delivery model can survive like this, with a workforce that keeps growing and earnings that no longer even cover the rent. Time will tell whether the saturation of delivery work is just a temporary adjustment or the sign of a labour market that has found its new equilibrium at a lower level.