The wages of at least 1,000 euros per month Romanians working in Spain's hospitality industry earn make them not take into account returning home.
Almost 790,000 Romanians were in Spain this January, according to the data published by the National Statistics Institute, with 45% of them working in services and the rest in constructions, agriculture and other fields.
"For me, the advantage of a job in Spain is that I have money left to take my wife on holiday. I have been here for two years with my Romanian wife. I earn 1,000 euros per month and my rent is 350 euros. I was lucky to find a cheaper apartment," said Sorin Stratulat, a 36-year old Romanian working in a restaurant in Mijas, the "white city" of Andalusia, in southern Spain.
While the number of Romanians living in Spain is close to one million people, the number of those going on holiday in Spain is much lower, namely 50,000 people.
There are other Romanians working in Mijas of Andalusia, but part of them have lost their jobs. "A few friends who also worked in restaurants have to look for other jobs because of the problems their employers have been facing," Stratulat said.
Almost 65,000 Romanian returned home in the first quarter of this year, and 70,000 Romanians were registered as jobless in Spanish statistics, according to Camelia Teodorescu, a secretary with Romania's Embassy in Spain.
Stratulat is not considering returning home. "It's better here. I can say I have some money left after I pay my rent and food," he specified.
Though she is only 20, another Romanian woman working in southern Spain says she would not return to Romania in the following period, as her basic wage of 1,000 euros is enough to cover all her expenses.
Of the Romanians working in Spain only 258,141 Romanians were affiliated with the Spanish Social Security system in April. "Referring to t