Spain Launches Extraordinary Immigration Regularization Plan for 500,000 Irregular Migrants

The Spanish government has announced an extraordinary immigration regularization initiative aimed at legalizing approximately 500,000 irregular migrants residing in Spain. The decree, set for approval during the forthcoming Council of Ministers meeting, allows migrants who have resided in Spain since before December 31, 2025, and have maintained at least five months of residency, to apply for legal status.

To qualify, applicants must have no significant criminal records, and eligibility can be demonstrated through various documents such as municipal registration, medical reports, social service attendance records, rental contracts, remittance receipts, transport tickets, and utility bills. This broad list of acceptable documentation addresses previous concerns about the difficulty migrants face in proving residency.

The decree enables the immediate granting of a one-year residence and work permit upon approval, and its submission halts any ongoing deportation or expulsion proceedings linked to administrative irregularities or unauthorized employment. Applications must be submitted by June 30, 2026, and the measure does not require parliamentary validation, enabling swift implementation immediately upon publication in the Official State Gazette.

This initiative represents a historic step in Spain's immigration policy, following previous regularizations that have helped over a million foreigners since the 1980s. Despite rising European trends toward stricter immigration control—seen in countries like France, Belgium, and Germany—Spain is pursuing an approach that seeks to integrate its migrant population legally and socially.

The government highlights the plan's goal to provide legal security and protection to migrants already part of Spanish society, annulling thousands of deportation orders. While social organizations have welcomed the move as a long-overdue recognition of migrants’ rights, opposition parties have criticized it as potentially irresponsible and fear it might encourage further irregular migration.

This plan contrasts with the more restrictive immigration policies across much of Europe but aligns with similar regularizations in countries like Portugal and Italy aimed at addressing bureaucratic pressures and labor shortages. Spain's regularization effort marks a significant policy shift as the government addresses the complex realities of migration in the country today.