The Spanish government under Pedro Sánchez plans to legalize the residency status of hundreds of thousands of immigrants who are already in the country. A huge conrast to the European trend where policies tend more towards reduction of immigration and deportations.
Immigrating to Spain
With its decision to grant legal residency to hundreds of thousands of immigrants, Spain is embracing a new approach to migration policy. Their aim is to ensure that migration takes place in a regular, orderly, and safe manner.
This initiative could have an extremely positive impact on the Spanish economy. Especially sectors with significant labor shortages, such as the nursing and care sector, the construction industry, the tourism sector, and other service industries. Furthermore, it actually hurts the very companies that fail to register their workers, exploit them, and pay them starvation wages.
Requirements to immigrate
However, in order to benefit from the government’s initiative, the immigrants have to meet certain requirements. First of all, it only relates to people who have been residing in Spain for at least five months prior to December 31st, 2025. In addition, applicants must not have any criminal convictions from the past five years. They must not posa a danger to the public, must not be subject to an entry ban, and must be able to demonstrate that they have worked during their stay to date or are in a situation requiring protection.
According to Think Thanks Funcas, a very large proportion of immigrants in Spain come from Latin American countries, such as Columbia, Honduras, or Peru.
The problem with unreported work
It is not unusual that in countries with a high number of immigrants, there is also illegal employment happening. This can often be observed, for example, in fields during the fruit harvest. Apart from the fact that the workers in that case do not pay taxes, another major problem is that they are not insured. This is not only dangerous for the workers, but also stressful for employers.
While employers’ costs will rise due to social security contributions and the adaption of the minimum wage now that workers can work legally, they are on the safe side in the event of workplace accidents and no longer have to worry about potential inspections.
Criticism of the government’s plan
Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo of Spain’s conservative People’s Party is not exactly thrilled with the government’s plan. Already, he announced to undo this process if his party wins the elections. Even though, applicants for this plan have to meet special requirements, the People’s Party fears a rise of criminality and the collapse of social welfare systems in Spain.
Nevertheless, this plan is a fresh approach to migration policy. While there is a growing trend across Europe to reduce, reject, or even reverse immigration, Spain is taking a different path. A path that puts human rights at the center, instead of stoking fear, hatred, and exclusion.
