Spain finalises amnesty measures to give legal status to up to 500,000 immigrants

Published on 14/04/2026 - 17:53 GMT+2

Spain's authorities finalised a migrant amnesty measurement connected Tuesday that it announced earlier this year, paving the mode for hundreds of thousands of immigrants surviving and moving without authorisation successful the state to use for ineligible status.

The attack sharply differs from overmuch of Europe's prevailing attitudes connected migration successful which governments are trying to trim the fig of arrivals and measurement up deportations.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez hailed the measurement arsenic "an enactment of justness and a necessity."

He reiterated his government's presumption that radical who already unrecorded and enactment successful the state of 49 cardinal radical should "do truthful nether adjacent conditions" and wage taxes.

"We recognise rights, but we besides request obligations," Sánchez wrote connected societal media.

An estimated 500,000 radical surviving successful Spain without authorisation could beryllium eligible to apply, the authorities said.

Some analysts estimation up to 800,000 radical unrecorded successful the shadows of Spanish society.

Many immigrants from Latin America oregon African countries enactment successful cardinal sectors including agriculture, tourism and the work sector.

Those who conscionable definite conditions tin present use for a one-year residency and enactment permit, Migration Minister Elma Saiz said, adding that migrants could statesman applying successful idiosyncratic connected 20 April and online connected Thursday.

The amnesty measurement was fast-tracked via a decree that amends migration laws. By doing it thia way, Sánchez's authorities was capable to bypass parliament, wherever a erstwhile amnesty effort stalled and wherever the authorities lacks a majority.

Saiz lauded the measurement arsenic a mode that Spain, which has been among the fastest-growing European Union economies for 2 years, tin proceed to expand.

"Our prosperity is demonstrably linked to our absorption of migration and the contributions of overseas workers," she said. "Their publication allows america to turn economically, make employment and wealthiness and support our payment system."

Immigrants indispensable person arrived successful Spain earlier 1 January and indispensable beryllium that they person been surviving successful the state for astatine slightest 5 months. That tin beryllium done by presenting "public oregon private" documents, Saiz said.

Applicants indispensable besides amusement that they person nary transgression record, the authorities said.

Spain has granted amnesty to immigrants who are successful the state illegally before, doing truthful six times betwixt 1986 and 2005.