Foreign employment in Asturias rises as telework and quality of life attract professionals from around the world

Foreigners now occupy two out of every three new jobs in Asturias, according to the latest employment data.

In the first half of this year, the region gained an average of 8,054 employed people, of whom 5,370 were foreign — the highest number ever recorded.

While immigrants remain essential in commerce, construction and transport, the group increasingly dominates in highly qualified professions such as medicine and high-value professional services.

The arrival of people from around the world to Asturias has been a growing trend for years, and it is most noticeable in employment statistics. Never before have there been so many foreign workers in Asturias, exceeding 33,000 in June. Many have been drawn to the region by the possibilities of remote work and by the quality of life it offers. The association "Global Vibes", coordinated by the Lipscomb family, brings together numerous professionals of this profile, helping them integrate into Oviedo through regular meetings and cultural activities.

One such story is that of Chris Lipscomb, a 61-year-old British former senior HR executive. The film "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", directed by Woody Allen, was the calling card that brought him to Oviedo. He and his wife had moved from Dubai to the English countryside but were not happy. The film showed them a city they had never heard of. They visited, and were won over by the "nice, safe, clean and elegant" city, which reminded Lipscomb of the Edinburgh of his youth. Since then, three years ago, they have made their home in the Asturian capital.

Chris Lipscomb, member of Global Vibes:Since we arrived three years ago, more and more foreigners have come to live here. It is a really interesting phenomenon.

Another member of Global Vibes is Boris Sheinin, a 58-year-old Russian-American psychologist. He arrived in Asturias two years ago, fleeing the heat of Spain's south. Sheinin had arrived in New York as a political refugee at 21 and trained as a clinical psychologist at Columbia University, later working for the state of California with homeless people, mental health patients and prisoners on death row. After 21 years of public service, he realised he could work remotely from anywhere and chose Spain's north. Through Facebook, he contacted Chris Lipscomb and discovered Oviedo, where he now continues his psychotherapy practice online.

In the medical field, Raúl Echeverri, a Venezuelan-Colombian neurosurgeon, arrived in the region in 2023. With Basque ancestors, born in Venezuela and of Colombian parents, he has dual nationality. He worked at the Centro Médico de Asturias in Oviedo and now divides his time between the regional capital and Palma de Mallorca. Two years ago, he established a branch of Human Kindness, a scientific-academic organisation that promotes medical care in low and middle-income countries.

This growing trend of international professionals choosing Asturias for their careers and quality of life has a direct impact on the property market. InasTour, acting exclusively as a buyer's agent, assists international clients in identifying homes in the areas that attract these professionals — from city-centre apartments in Oviedo to properties near good schools, parks and cultural amenities — ensuring that those who, like Chris Lipscomb, Boris Sheinin and Raúl Echeverri, have chosen Asturias as their home, can find a property that matches their professional and personal needs.

The employment data confirms a significant shift: Asturias is no longer a region of emigration but of attraction. The arrival of foreign professionals — whether they work remotely, in medicine or in other high-value sectors — is transforming the region's economy and its demographic profile. The stories of Lipscomb, Sheinin and Echeverri illustrate a broader trend: Asturias is not only a place of natural beauty but a place where international professionals can build meaningful careers and lives. For international buyers, this trend signals a market that is dynamic, diverse and increasingly connected to the global economy.