Spain will grant residency and work permits to about 300,000 migrants who are currently in the country illegally, with the policy set to take effect next May and continue for the next three years, according to the country’s migration minister. The initiative aims to address the country’s aging workforce and expand its labor pool. While other European nations tighten their borders against illegal crossings and asylum seekers, Spain has largely remained open to migrants.
Migration Minister Elma Saiz stated in an interview on Wednesday that Spain needs approximately 250,000 registered foreign workers annually to sustain its welfare system. She emphasized that the new legalization policy is not just about “cultural wealth and respect for human rights,” but also about “prosperity.”
“Today, we can say Spain is a better country,” Saiz told national broadcaster Radio Nacional de España.
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Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has frequently framed his government’s migration policies as part of the effort to address Spain’s low birthrate. In August, Sánchez visited three West African nations to address irregular migration to Spain’s Canary Islands, which many see as a gateway to Europe. Migrants from countries like Mali, Senegal, and Mauritania often risk dangerous sea journeys in search of better job opportunities or to flee violence and political instability.
The new policy, approved Tuesday by Spain’s leftist minority coalition government, simplifies the visa process for both short- and long-term stays and grants additional labor protections to migrants. It extends the previous three-month job-seeker visa to one year. According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, by mid-November, around 54,000 migrants had reached Spain by sea or land this year, though the exact number of undocumented foreigners in the country remains unclear.
Many of these migrants work in Spain’s underground economy, taking on essential but low-paid jobs such as fruit pickers, caretakers, and delivery drivers—roles often avoided by native Spaniards. Without legal protections, they are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Saiz argued that the new policy will help prevent such exploitation and “serve to combat mafias, fraud and the violation of rights.”
Spain’s economy is among the fastest-growing in the European Union this year, bolstered in part by immigration and a strong tourism rebound post-pandemic. In 2023, Spain issued 1.3 million visas to foreigners, according to government data.
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