The Spanish government reported that about 900,000 applications have been received as part of the program to legalize illegal migrants, which is almost twice the initial forecast of 500,000. Acceptance of documents ends on June 30, and, according to estimates by human rights organizations, the total number may exceed 1 million.
The program, launched in mid-April by royal decree, provides an annual renewable residence and work permit subject to a number of conditions: stay in the country until January 1, 2026, at least five months of continuous stay, no criminal record and payment of a fee of about 38 euros. Applicants can start employment immediately after the start of the consideration of their case.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the legalization "an act of justice and necessity," stressing that people already living and working in Spain should do so on equal terms and pay taxes. The government points to an aging population, a shortage of workers in tourism, agriculture, construction and care, as well as the need to bring illegal employment out of the shadows.
This is the first mass amnesty in Spain in more than 20 years. The last such campaign was conducted in 2005 under the Socialists, but similar measures were applied by the conservative government in 2000 and 2001. Against the background of stricter migration policies in most European countries, Spain remains open-minded, which, according to the OECD, helped it outpace its European partners in terms of economic growth in 2025.
Experts differ in their assessments. Some warn that mass legalization may stimulate a new flow of illegal migrants and create an additional burden on social infrastructure. Others point to a real shortage of labor and believe that integration is more effective than deportation. At the same time, the closure of the "golden visas" program for investors last year, coupled with the current amnesty, highlights the change in priorities: Madrid is betting on labor migration, not on raising capital.
The final figures will be announced after June 30, but it is already clear that the program has exceeded all expectations. Its results may have a long-term impact on both the Spanish labor market and the demographic and social image of the country in the coming decades.
Source: IMI
