Migración internacional cualificada y residentes temporales, ¿el avance definitivo de la gentrificación en El Raval?

The sociodemographic changes associated with gentrification in various neighbourhoods in cities in southern Europe are taking on new characteristics, driven by skilled international migration, the highly transient nature of the new resident populations, and the expansion of urban tourism. Barcelona, as a tourist hub and focal point for the knowledge economy, is a notable example of these processes, which weave together various dynamics. A prime example is the Barcelona neighbourhood of El Raval, which has been touched by gentrification for over two decades, although sociodemographic indicators have not yet conclusively confirmed the process. This study analyses the most recent sociodemographic dynamics in El Raval through an examination of residential and migratory movements. The findings confirm that a significant turning point in the sociodemographic transformation of the neighbourhood occurred in the mid-2010s, driven by the increasing arrival of a foreign population with strong educational and professional backgrounds and a highly transitory nature. Additionally, a substantial portion of the displaced population is also of foreign origin, and faces particularly precarious and unstable housing trajectories. The departure of low-income groups and their replacement by qualified professionals of foreign origin is turning El Raval into an emblematic case of transnational gentrification processes found throughout southern European cities.