The left-wing government of Spain wants to legalize the status of hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants. The decision of the cabinet was announced by its spokeswoman and Minister of Migration Elma Sais.
“We are strengthening a migration model based on human rights, she stressed. Immigrants will be offered “guarantees, opportunities and rights”. In this regard, the minister pointed out the positive effects of migration.
Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez justified the open-to-migrant policy of his coalition by saying that the lack of labor and the aging population threaten the normal functioning of the welfare state and pension insurance.
A model opposite to that in the United States
In this way, Spain is following a different course from many other Western countries – and above all the model of the United States under President Donald Trump, which wants to deport all foreigners without legal residence status. Most countries of the European Union (EU) also support tougher measures against migrants.
Along with Italy and Greece, Spain is one of the most important destinations for migrants in Europe. According to the latest data from the national statistics office INE, in 2025, around 9.8 million people born abroad lived in Spain – almost 20 percent of the total population.
Ticket as proof
The extraordinary procedure in Spain can benefit all migrants who have resided in the country before December 31, 2025. They must not have a criminal record and must have lived in the country for at least five months at the time of submitting the application. This can be verified, for example, with a medical certificate, a rental contract, a transfer receipt or even a purchased ticket. Applications for legalization can be submitted until June 30 of this year.
The initiative is implemented by royal decree - a legal instrument that does not require ratification by parliament, where Sanchez's coalition does not have its own majority. The corresponding legislative initiative of the government was previously blocked in parliament.