Spain has announced a sweeping initiative to grant legal status to approximately 500,000 undocumented migrants – a move that reflects a shift in the country’s immigration policy amid global trends in the United States and most European states.

The main aim of the new measure is to reduce labor exploitation and the shadow economy. According to economists and international organizations, Spain needs about 300,000 migrants each year to support the social system and public programs.

“Today is a historic day for our country.”

– Elma Saiz

“We need to respond to the reality that exists on our streets.”

– Elma Saiz

The government assures that the new system will give migrants the opportunity to lead a dignified life and to reside legally in the country.

Key eligibility criteria for applicants: they must have arrived in Spain by December 31, 2025 and be able to prove residency for at least five months – they will be granted legal residence for up to one year and work permits in any sector across the country. They must also have no criminal records.

Applications can be submitted from April 1 to June 30, 2026.

According to Funcas estimates, at the start of 2025 there were about 840,000 undocumented migrants in Spain – far more than the expected figure under the new policy. Most of them come from Latin America: about 290,000 from Colombia, 110,000 from Peru, and 90,000 from Honduras.

The number of undocumented migrants in Spain has risen eightfold since 2017. The announcement offers to extend the policy launched last May, aimed at simplifying and expediting legalization – the government says that over the next three years around 900,000 people will be able to obtain legal status.

Spain has repeatedly implemented large-scale migrant legalization programs: in different years since the 1980s, it has rolled out similar schemes. During the government of Felipe González in 1986, legal status was granted to more than 38,000 people; between 1991 and 1992 – more than 114,000; during José María Aznar’s presidency in 1996, 2000 and 2001 – more than 524,000 people; the largest wave of legalization occurred under the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, which processed more than 576,000 applications.

The new step by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez comes amid U.S. comments on migration: Donald Trump has intensified rhetoric about Europe’s migration policy, calling it problematic during speeches at the UN General Assembly and in Davos. Such statements underscore the political sensitivity of migration issues in the international context.

The data and assessments underpinning this policy are being thoroughly discussed by experts from various think tanks, taking into account labor market needs and the long-term stability of Spain’s social security system.