Spain’s Minister of Housing and Urban Agenda has given her support to the Canary government’s proposal of limiting the purchase of homes on the islands by non-resident foreigners.
Spanish Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez’s has endorsed a proposal by Canary officials to find ways to dissuade non-residents from buying properties in the Atlantic archipelago, one of the Spanish regions most affected by the current housing crisis.
Her support follow recent comments by Canary government councillor Pablo Rodríguez, who stated that “in recent years alone, a third of property sales in the Canary Islands have been made by non-resident foreigners. In a market with limited supply and growing demand, this directly impacts the ability of Canary Islanders to develop their life plans and find decent housing.”
During the first six months of 2025, foreigners purchased 4,629 properties in the archipelago, which is more than a third of all sales there, according to data from the General Council of Notaries.
The Canaries has seen property prices and rents skyrocket in recent years, with many locals priced out of the market. This has led to a series of protests in recent years, many particularly aimed at foreign buyers and tourism.
Back in April of this year, the government of the Canary Islands said it would formally request limits of foreign home ownership from the EU.
Then in May, they brought forward a proposal on the matter to the Spanish Congress and Senate. Although the plan had some support, it was ultimately rejected, specifically by the Partido Popular (PP) and right-wing Vox parties.
The Canaries again expressed its concern over the issue before the EU Islands Commission, held in Barcelona last week.
They want to ultimately protect access to housing for the local population, reduce the vulnerable situations of workers and families, and guarantee a sustainable balance between economic activity, social cohesion, and the right to housing.
READ ALSO: Spain’s Canaries ask EU to help them limit foreigners buying homes
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Now, the proposal has been given support by Spain’s Minister of Housing.
Rodríguez believes that “this support confirms that our proposal is viable and necessary to protect the right to housing of residents in the Canary Islands, reinforcing the role of the outermost regions in housing policy planning.”
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Mobility of the Canary Islands Government, the minister has also accepted “the vast majority” of the proposals made to the State Housing Plan.
Despite the fact this proposal now has support from the government, prohibiting or limiting the purchase of homes by non-resident foreign citizens would ultimately have to be down to the EU and many argue that it violates the principles of free movement of capital and non-discrimination.
READ ALSO: Spain rejects limit on foreign home ownership in Canaries and Balearics
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Even so, the Spanish government has come up with its own plan to help reduce the number of foreigners buying properties in the country.
In January of this year, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez suggested imposing a 100 percent ‘supertax’ on non-resident non-EU buyers, then in May he presented a draft law on it in Congress.
If it goes through it would mean that non-resident non-EU foreigners pay would have to pay double the amount for properties in Spain, including in the Canary Islands.
It is hoped this would help solve the housing crisis in many areas of Spain, yet of course this proposal has been met with much criticism.
