Spain plans to grant residency and work permits to approximately 300,000 undocumented migrants annually for the next three years, Migration Minister Elma Saiz announced on Wednesday. The policy of granting residency and work permits, set to take effect in May, aims to bolster the aging nation’s workforce. While many European countries are tightening their immigration policies, Spain continues to embrace migration.
Minister Saiz highlighted that Spain requires around 250,000 registered foreign workers annually to sustain its welfare system. She emphasized that the legalization initiative is not only about cultural diversity and human rights but also about economic prosperity. “Today, we can say Spain is a better country,” she stated during an interview with Radio Nacional de España.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has frequently linked Spain’s migration policies to addressing the nation’s declining birthrate. In August this year, he visited three West African nations to address irregular migration to the Canary Islands, a key transit point for migrants from Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, and other regions fleeing violence or seeking better opportunities.
Approved on Tuesday by Spain’s leftist minority coalition government, the new policy streamlines visa processes, strengthens labor protections for migrants, and extends job-seeker visas from three months to one year. As per the experts, the policy of granting residency and work permits also aims to curb exploitation by integrating undocumented workers, often employed in low-wage sectors like agriculture, caregiving, and delivery services, into the formal economy.
By mid-November, Spain recorded around 54,000 migrants entering by sea or land, though the total number of undocumented individuals remains unclear. Saiz argued the policy would reduce abuse, prevent organized crime, and protect workers’ rights.
Spain’s economy, one of the European Union’s fastest-growing this year, has benefited from immigration and a post-pandemic tourism boom. In 2023, the government issued 1.3 million visas to foreigners.
