More than one million regularization requests have been filed in Spain by irregular migrants as part of a massive plan by the socialist government launched in mid-April, which ends on Tuesday and has drawn opposition from the right and the far right.
Favorable to a welcoming policy, the left-wing government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stands out as an exception on migration policy within the European Union, contrary to the hardening undertaken by many countries.
« We want the world to see Spain as a country that respects, protects and guarantees human rights », said on Tuesday Pedro Sánchez, praising in a speech « a decision good for our economy » while acknowledging « the challenges » linked to integration.
Under this mass regularization plan, authorities have three months to process the requests and issue – or not – these applicants a residence and work permit valid only in Spain.
The deadline for filing is set for this Tuesday evening.
All interested persons had to demonstrate at least five months of presence on Spanish soil by January 1 and also prove that they had no criminal record.
By launching this procedure, the Madrid government said it estimated it would benefit « nearly half a million people », mostly from Latin America.
In Spain, one of the main entry points for immigration in Europe, nearly 37,000 irregular migrants entered in 2025, a figure down sharply from 2024 (-42.6%), according to the Interior Ministry.
As of January 1, more than 10 million people born abroad lived in the country, which had a total population of almost 50 million inhabitants, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
