More than 1 million apply for Spain’s amnesty plan for undocumented migrants
By Dinesh Giri, BARCELONA:- More than a million immigrants residing illegally in Spain have applied for legal status. According to government data released on Tuesday—the deadline for applications—over a million immigrants have sought legal status.
While other European Union nations are taking strict measures against irregular migration across the continent, Spain has continued to move forward with this special initiative.
When the leftist government launched this major initiative in April, it was estimated that around 500,000 people—the majority of whom were of Latin American origin—would benefit.
Speaking at an event in Madrid, Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said, “The more than one million applications registered… demonstrate just how necessary this recognition of rights and obligations was.”
However, Sánchez has gained global popularity for his open immigration policies, having taken decisive action in response to pressure from other European Union member states, as well as socialist and far-right parties within his own country.
He has long argued that immigrants are essential to sustaining the economy, the welfare state, and the pension system, given Spain’s aging population and declining numbers in rural areas.
The number of applications submitted does not indicate the number of immigrants who will secure legal status.
Applicants must prove that they have a clean criminal record and have spent at least five consecutive months in Spain prior to January 1.
Authorities have three months to process the paperwork and decide whether or not to issue a work and residence permit valid only in Spain.
“When we condemn someone to invisibility, I believe we make our country worse. We all lose,” Sanchez explained, noting that his government aims to provide immigrants with “opportunities and a future.”
“We want the world to see Spain as a country that respects, protects, and upholds human rights.”
A land of immigrants for centuries, Spain—alongside Italy and Greece—is a key entry point into the European Union for tens of thousands of undocumented refugees and migrants.
Many arrive from West Africa via the long and perilous Atlantic route to the Canary Islands, although numbers dropped last year after reaching a peak in 2024.
Since April, undocumented migrants have been seen lining up on the streets—alongside online applicants—to submit documents and attend appointments for the regularization process.
Sánchez, who has presided over one of the world’s fastest-growing developed economies in recent years, has discussed the benefits of immigration for sectors like construction that need to expand their workforce.
Spanish business leaders have welcomed the regularization campaign, but conservative and far-right opposition groups are outraged by the policy, claiming it encourages further irregular immigration.
