Farewell and adieu: nation's youth hits migration trail

More Spaniards moved abroad this year in search of a better life, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).

Between January and September, 50,521 Spaniards left home looking for better opportunities, mainly in Britain, France, the United States and Germany, the INE said. This number is up 36.6 percent from 2010.

Figures show that more Spanish men - mostly young individuals - than women have migrated. They prefer to stay within the European Union, but many have also gone as far as South America.

By regions, Madrid had the highest number of Spaniards who have left within the nine-month period, followed by Catalonia, Andalusia and Valencia. Catalonia, nevertheless, had the highest number of foreigners who left between January and September this year.

"Society has changed. There is no longer the stereotypical Spaniard who boards a boat in A Coruña with his baggage," says Antonio Izquierdo, a statistician from the INE.

"Migrating is no longer considered suicidal or a risk. They can always purchase a return ticket for 500 euros. Whether they will return or not depends on how well it goes for them, or if the situation improves back home."