Spain’s left-wing government on Tuesday launched an extraordinary mass legalization program for migrants. Around half a million immigrants living in the country without legal status could use the measure to obtain residency rights. “While in the United States children are now even being abducted and people are being shot, we are granting legal residency,” said Podemos Member of the European Parliament Irene Montero, referring to the U.S.
“We cannot accept that people live in fear and without rights,” Montero said. Her left-wing Podemos party negotiated the extraordinary legalization plan with the Socialists of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The regularization procedure is open to all immigrants and asylum seekers who can prove they were already in Spain before December 31, 2025. Additional requirements apply: applicants must not have relevant criminal convictions and must have lived in the country for at least five months at the time of application. Proof of residence can be provided through documents such as medical certificates, rental contracts, money transfer receipts, or even purchased travel tickets. Applications for legalization can be submitted starting in April and until June 30.
700,000 Signatures
Spain’s Bishops’ Conference and organizations supporting immigrants and asylum seekers welcomed the government initiative. “It is only fair that those who contribute to the country’s prosperity and development receive a swift response to their concerns,” Mauricio Valiente, chair of the Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid (CEAR), told the Austria Press Agency (APA).
While permanent regularization mechanisms are still needed, this initiative would help many people who have been living and working in Spain for some time, Valiente said. He particularly welcomed the reduction of bureaucratic hurdles and the significant shortening of required residence periods compared with the previous legalization plan.
In May 2025, the government responded to a citizens’ initiative backed by more than 700,000 signatures and submitted an extraordinary legalization plan for migrants to parliament. That proposal, however, included stricter requirements, requiring affected individuals to prove they had lived in Spain for at least two years. The initiative has not yet been adopted, as conservatives (PP) and the right-wing populist Vox repeatedly blocked it.
“That the government has now decided to revive the initiative through this route makes us very happy, because this is about social justice, dignity, and recognition for people who help move this country forward,” said Fernando Redondo, migration officer of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, speaking to the APA.
Vox “Shocked”
Spain’s opposition parties see the move differently. Vox lawmaker José María Figaredo said he was “shocked” by the initiative, which he claimed “aims to grant residency permits to anyone who has spent just five minutes in Spain.” He accused the Socialists and Communists of hating the Spanish people and trying to replace Spanish society with migrants.
Meanwhile, conservative opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo (PP) said the initiative was primarily a strategy to divert attention from government failures in addressing a serious train accident that occurred nearly a week earlier. He also suggested the move was a concession to the left-wing Podemos party, whose support the Socialists rely on in parliament.
Exception within the EU
Within the EU, Spain’s government under the Social Democratic Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is an exception with this approach. Most EU countries favor tightening migration policy. Austria’s government was not pleased with Spain’s plans on Tuesday. They fear the measure could “create a pull effect toward Europe,” a spokesperson for Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) said.
Sánchez justifies the move by pointing to the risk to the welfare state and pensions due to labor shortages and an aging population. The decree does not need to be passed by parliament. Sánchez’s coalition would not have a majority there either.
Legalization Under Conservatives
However, it was conservatives who first introduced mass legalizations of migrants, primarily to improve the country’s economic situation. Conservative Prime Minister José María Aznar initiated three extraordinary regularization procedures (1996, 2000, and 2001), granting residency permits to the largest number of undocumented immigrants up to that point.
During his eight years in office, 524,621 non-EU immigrants obtained residency permits through these measures. Shortly after taking office, Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero also launched the last major extraordinary regularization in 2005. During a four-month process, 576,506 undocumented immigrants received residency rights.
“Migration Is Not a Problem”
“Migration is not a problem, but a necessity,” Spain’s current Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said last summer during a trip to Africa. According to estimates, Spain needs up to 300,000 migrants per year to sustain economic growth and stabilize the working population, said Spanish labor market expert Carlos Victoria.
Workers are particularly needed in hospitality, care services, agriculture, fishing, and construction. Although Spain struggles with an unemployment rate of around 12 percent—and youth unemployment that is roughly double that—these sectors are difficult to fill with Spanish workers due to harsh working conditions and low wages, said an economics professor at the Catholic Comillas University in Madrid.
Working migrants who pay into the social security system are more important than ever, especially now. A report published earlier this week by the Funcas think tank highlighted the scale of the issue, showing that irregular migration in Spain has risen sharply in recent years. According to the report, the number of non-EU citizens without valid residency status in Spain has reached 840,000 this year, eight times higher than in 2017. Only a small share are boat refugees; most undocumented immigrants enter by plane on tourist visas. The largest number come from Latin America, particularly Colombia, Peru, and Honduras.
