ReliefWeb

FMS are part of the IOM’s DTM activities in the Mediterranean region, started in October 2015 as part of IOM’s research on populations on the move to Europe. FMS are analysed to provide information on profiles, transit routes and vulnerabilities of respondents.

In 2020, data collection took place in Italy and Spain between November and December, with a total of 601 surveys. FMS are anonymous and voluntary. As the population of reference is not completely known and IOM could have access to a limited amount of locations as a result of logistical limitations and COVID-19 restrictions in place in 2020, the sample is not random and not representative of the whole population of migrants arriving by sea to Spain. Nevertheless, 57% of the surveys covered migrants who arrived through the Western African/Atlantic route and the remaining 43% of the surveys were with migrants who arrived through the Western Mediterranean route from the coasts of Algeria or Morocco. The top 5 nationalities in the sample are the same as the top nationalities at arrival as shared by the Spanish Ministry of Interior.