ADRID: More than one million undocumented migrants in Spain have applied for legal residency under a large-scale regularisation programme, the government confirmed on Tuesday, marking the final day for submissions to a scheme that has drawn both strong support and sharp political criticism.
The initiative, launched in April by the left-wing government, was originally expected to benefit around 500,000 people, with the majority of applicants believed to be from Latin America. However, the final tally has far exceeded projections, underscoring the scale of irregular migration in the country and the demand for legal status.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the volume of applications demonstrated the necessity of the policy. “The more than one million applications submitted show how necessary this recognition of rights and responsibilities was,” he said at an event in Madrid.
Sánchez has positioned himself as a leading advocate of more open migration policies within Europe, even as several neighbouring countries tighten their immigration rules under pressure from rising far-right political movements.
His government argues that migrants are essential to sustaining Spain’s labour market, welfare system, and pensions, particularly given the country’s ageing population and declining rural workforce.
Officials stressed that the number of applications does not guarantee approval. Applicants must demonstrate a clean criminal record and proof of residence in Spain for at least five consecutive months prior to 1 January.
Successful candidates will receive work and residency permits valid only within Spain, with authorities given up to three months to process each case.
Sánchez reiterated that integration was central to the policy approach. “When we condemn a person to invisibility, we make our country a worse place.
We all lose,” he said, adding that Spain aimed to be recognised internationally as a country that “respects, protects and upholds human rights.”
The scheme has already begun to reshape lives. Some applicants who have secured approval describe it as a turning point, offering access to formal employment and protection from exploitation in informal labour markets.
Many irregular migrants in Spain report being vulnerable to low pay, unsafe conditions, or unpaid work due to lack of legal status.
Spain, a major entry point into the European Union alongside Italy and Greece, continues to receive migrants via both legal and irregular routes, including the Atlantic passage from West Africa to the Canary Islands. While arrivals surged in previous years, officials say numbers declined last year after a peak in 2024.
The policy has been welcomed by business groups, who see it as a potential boost to sectors facing labour shortages, including construction.
However, opposition parties on the right and far-right have condemned the move, arguing it could incentivise further irregular migration.
Critics accuse the government of weakening border control, while Sánchez has countered that opposition rhetoric is fuelling fear and xenophobia without addressing structural economic needs.
Despite political tensions, officials maintain that the programme reflects Spain’s long-term demographic and economic realities, particularly its ageing population and reliance on migrant labour.
