Published on 6/30/2026
Spain has witnessed the submission of more than a million applications to regularize the status of irregular migrants as part of a government plan to support the economy and demonstrate the “value of human rights” in the country.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who made this plan a slogan for his government, said: “We want the world to see Spain as a country that respects, protects and guarantees human rights,” praising in a speech the step to receive immigrant applications while acknowledging the “challenges” related to integration.
He stressed that without immigration, “Spain will lose 19% of its gross domestic product by the year 2050,” considering that immigration is “necessary” to support “the needs of the Spanish economy,” which is one of the most active economies in Europe, and at the same time pointing to the aging of society.
As part of this massive settlement plan, the authorities have three months to process applications and issue, or not issue, a valid residence and work permit in Spain to these applicants, while the deadline for submitting applications was set for Tuesday evening.
When this measure was launched, the Madrid executive estimated that it would serve “about half a million people,” the vast majority of whom were from Latin America.
The government’s move comes one year before the end of the legislative session, in the midst of unrest linked to issues of corruption and abuse of influence affecting the circle close to Sanchez and the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, which he leads.
The leftist Sanchez government, which supports the policy of welcoming immigrants, stands out as an exception in the issue of immigration within the European Union, in contrast to the hard-line positions adopted by many countries regarding this issue.
Spain’s population, amounting to about 50 million people, has witnessed clear growth in the past few years, driven by immigration. The Funkas Research Center estimates that the current labor force includes about 840,000 undocumented immigrants.
