Spain Moves Forward with Historic Plan to Regularize Half a Million Immigrants Amid Record Foreign Employment
Spain's government has approved a historic plan to regularize 500,000 immigrants as foreign employment hits record levels, highlighting migration's key role in the economy.
- • Spain's new immigration plan will regularize about 500,000 immigrants who meet residency and arrival criteria.
- • Foreign workers in Spain have reached a record 3.58 million, making up 15.9% of the labor force.
- • Migration contributed 80% of economic growth in Spain over the past six years, per PM Pedro Sánchez.
- • The application period for legalization runs from April to June 2026.
- • Many foreign workers still face precarious job conditions despite rising employment numbers.
Key details
On January 27, 2026, Spain’s government approved a major immigration regularization plan expected to benefit approximately 500,000 immigrants, predominantly from Latin America. According to Minister of Migration Elma Saiz, eligible individuals must have resided in Spain for at least five months and arrived before December 31, 2025, with no criminal record. The application window will open in April and close at the end of June 2026, granting these immigrants legal status to work in any sector nationwide.
This initiative comes as Spain’s labor market reaches a historic milestone: 3.58 million foreign workers now constitute 15.9% of the 22.46 million-strong workforce, representing a 7.8% increase from the previous year. When including workers with dual nationality, many from Latin America, foreign employees make up 21.4% of the labor market. The growth in foreign employment has contributed significantly to Spain’s economic recovery, with migrants accounting for 43% of new jobs created over the past year.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez underscored migration's economic impact, noting it represented 80% of Spain's economic growth over the last six years and contributed 10% to social security revenues, positioning Spain apart from stricter immigration policies elsewhere in Europe. Yet, despite these advances, many foreign workers remain in precarious jobs, pointing to ongoing challenges in labor conditions.
This historic plan reflects the government’s intent to build a migration model rooted in human rights and integration, aiming to regularize undocumented immigrants and further strengthen Spain’s economic and social fabric.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
