On January 27, 2026, the Spanish government announced the launch of an "emergency legalization" program for migrants living and working in the country without a permit. The Minister of Integration, Social Insurance and Migration, Elma Saiz, said that this measure could affect up to 500,000 people.
According to sources, the decision is implemented through an expedited government decree and can bypass a similar initiative that has remained in parliament. This approach once again demonstrates Spain's commitment to a path of relative integration, despite the increasingly harsh background of its migration policy in Europe.
Who can use it?
According to reports, foreigners who have applied for international protection in Spain until December 31, 2025, and have proven that they have lived in the country for at least 5 months by that date, can obtain a 1-year residence and work permit. They are also required to confirm that they have no criminal record.
Why was such a decision made now?
According to various estimates, the number of illegal residents in Spain is estimated at hundreds of thousands - up to 800 thousand in some estimates. Most of them are from Latin America and Africa and work in agriculture, tourism, and the service sector. The government attributes this decision to human rights, integration, and economic stability.
According to AP, Spain has repeatedly resorted to measures to legalize migrants between 1986 and 2005. That is, this is not a "first-time experiment," but it is a large-scale decision with strong political resonance.
Sharp political reaction
The centrist and right-wing opposition responded to the initiative with strong criticism. People's Party leader Alberto Nunes Feihoo assessed the decision as an attempt to change the government's agenda. The far-right Vox leader, Santiago Abascal, sharply criticized the decision on social media.
What will happen now?
If this decision is implemented, it could bring a large segment of the "shadow" labor market of Spain to the legal arena - this is also important from the point of view of taxation, social insurance, and control. But politically, the argument is just beginning: on the one hand, "humanitarianism and economic reality," and on the other, "border control and the risk of incentives." In short, this decision is making Spain an even more prominent player in the European migration debate.
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