Undocumented migrants in Spain have welcomed a government plan to grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals, saying the move could transform their lives and offer long-awaited stability.

Migrants described years of uncertainty working without residency documents, where informal jobs, exploitation and limited access to housing and banking services have been common.

Diana, a 40-year-old migrant from Peru who arrived in Spain two years ago seeking financial and professional stability, said the lack of legal status has forced her into occasional work instead of the tourism career she had hoped to pursue.

“Working without residency documents is hard because employers can tell you one thing and then get you to do something else,” she said. “Sometimes they pay you less than what you’ve agreed to, so that makes things tough.”

She added that undocumented migrants often face extreme vulnerability. “It’s stressful, you can get exploited, and then you can end up not just without any money, but sick and lonely.”

Spain’s government recently announced a regularisation scheme expected to legalise the status of at least 500,000 migrants. Under the plan, applicants will be granted a one-year renewable residency visa.

Applications will open from the beginning of April until the end of June. To qualify, migrants must prove they have spent at least five months in the country and must not have a criminal record.

For migrants like Diana, the programme represents a chance to rebuild their lives.

“It’s going to help us in every possible way,” she said. “It’ll be good for the government too, because [these migrants] will be paying taxes, generating income, they will be able to invest, they will be able to set up businesses.”

Estimates of how many migrants may apply vary widely. While the government expects around 500,000 applicants, a leaked report from the police’s National Centre for Immigration and Borders suggested the number could range between 750,000 and 1.1 million.

The Socialist-led coalition government says the policy is partly driven by humanitarian concerns. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has described immigrants as people “who have built the progress of this country alongside us.”

Officials also argue the move is economically necessary. Spain’s unemployment rate is currently at an 18-year low, while the country’s economy grew by nearly 3% last year roughly matching the combined growth of the UK, Germany, France and Italy.

Elma Saiz said foreign workers have been crucial to that growth.

“Foreign workers play a very important role when it comes to Spain’s macroeconomic success, the growth of its GDP, its strong and resilient labour market,” she said.

Saiz noted that foreigners account for 14.1% of Spain’s 22 million registered workers.

“Since 2022, half of Spain’s economic growth has been driven by foreign workers,” she added. “This is about values, about human rights, and, also, obviously, being aware that we face different challenges, and that our good management of the economy is providing results.”

A 2024 report by the country’s central bank also underscored the demographic pressures facing Spain, estimating that the country will need about 25 million migrants over the next three decades to sustain its economy and social security system.

Migrants already form a major part of Spain’s workforce in sectors such as elderly care, hospitality and agriculture.

More than 250,000 foreign workers are formally registered in agriculture alone, according to government figures, while thousands more undocumented migrants also work in the sector. Many come from North Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

Francisco José García Navarrete, who represents the ASAJA farmers’ association in Madrid, said migrant labour is essential to the industry.

“If we didn’t have immigrant workers it would be a problem for us,” he said, adding that the organisation broadly supports the regularisation programme.

“We are in favour of this new initiative as long as the legalisation of immigrants translates into them getting long-term contracts to work in the countryside,” he said.

Spain’s main employers’ association, the CEOE, has also expressed support for the measure, describing “orderly” immigration as beneficial for the economy. However, it has raised concerns about the government introducing the measure by decree rather than putting it to a parliamentary vote.

The initiative has drawn fierce criticism from opposition parties in Spain’s politically polarised environment.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo said the policy reflects what he described as the government’s failure to control immigration.

“Mass regularisation is the confirmation of the lack of an immigration policy,” he said, arguing that the number of applicants could approach one million.

Far-right party leader Santiago Abascal warned the policy could encourage more migrants to arrive.

“These half million legalised migrants will cause millions more to come, who will aggravate the collapse of healthcare, housing and our security,” he said.

The government has rejected such claims, saying the programme has a clearly defined timeframe that will prevent any “pull effect.”

Spain has previously implemented similar programmes under both left-wing and conservative governments. The People’s Party regularised more than half a million migrants in 2000–2001, while a Socialist administration legalised another 577,000 in 2005.

However, the new scheme comes at a time when many other European countries are tightening immigration rules.

France and Germany have introduced stricter residency requirements, while Italy has approved the use of naval vessels to block migrant arrivals.

The European Commission has also warned that migrants granted residency in Spain must not use the permit to settle unlawfully in other EU states.

“Obtaining a residence permit in the European Union is not a blank cheque,” said Magnus Brunner while addressing the European Parliament.

“Every state must avoid decisions that have negative effects on other members,” he added.

For many migrants already living in Spain, however, the policy offers a chance to move out of the shadows.

Manuel, another Peruvian migrant planning to apply, said losing his job after his asylum claim was rejected left him relying on his savings.

“Companies don’t want to employ you without residency and if they do they pay you less than the minimum,” he said.

“The regularisation will allow me to work and contribute to the social security system.”

Immigration lawyer Pilar Rodríguez said the measure could have far-reaching social and economic benefits.

“This will change the lives of a lot of people,” she said.

“This measure is also very important for Spain because it’s going to mean that a lot of people are going to be able to keep their heads above the water, and with their contribution to the social security system, Spaniards are also going to benefit.” (Arise News)

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