Spain’s government has just given the go-ahead for a massive immigration overhaul, paving the way to regularize the status of 900,000 illegal immigrants over the next three years.
This bold reform, approved during Tuesday’s Council of Ministers meeting, aims to process 300,000 regularizations annually, with new measures to streamline bureaucratic hurdles and foster greater integration into Spanish society and the workforce.
Minister of Migration Elma Saiz Delgado hailed it as the “most comprehensive and ambitious” update to the immigration law since its creation in 2011. This is the fourth major revision since 2018, underscoring the government’s commitment to reform. Key features of the overhaul include extending job search visas from three months to a full year, with the option for renewal up to four years. Additionally, two new residency pathways based on immigrants’ “social roots” will make it easier for them to secure legal status, while the rules for family reunification are being relaxed.
Another significant change is the introduction of a clear framework for residence visas, which were previously vague and complex. The aim is to simplify the process for immigrants to gain both residency and work permits. The reform also stresses the importance of integrating immigrants into the labor market, hoping to fill critical gaps in industries facing worker shortages. Immigrants will also gain access to essential social services, although there are no current plans to expand these services to meet the increased demand.
Despite the government’s ambitious goals, public opinion paints a different picture. A recent survey by the 40dB Institute for El País and Cadena SER found that 75% of Spaniards now associate immigration with concerns like crime, insecurity, and strained public services. This marks a sharp rise in anxiety about immigration, particularly as the migrant crisis, especially in the Canary Islands, continues to dominate the national conversation.
