A CONTROVERSIAL process to legalise almost a million undocumented migrants living in Spain is set to begin today (Tuesday), prime minister Pedro Sanchez has announced.
The socialist PSOE leader said the government would approve a new law to kickstart the plan – a move he said would ‘recognise the reality of nearly half a million people who are already part of our everyday lives.’
The scheme has sparked fierce debate at home and abroad, with Sanchez insisting it will supercharge Spain’s economy thanks to the ‘dynamism’ of migrants.
READ MORE: Spain’s government approves amnesty that could apply to around half-a-million illegal immigrants
“Spain, like other European countries, is ageing. Without new people joining the workforce and contributing, our prosperity is hamstrung,” he said.
“Actually, it is also thanks to the dynamism of migrants that Spain’s economy is today the fastest-growing in Europe.
“Today, I feel proud to be Spanish again,” he added.
Under the plan, applicants must prove they have lived in Spain for at least five months, entered the country before 1 January 2026, be over 18, and provide a passport or other ID – valid or expired.
A clean criminal record is mandatory, the law states.
While early estimates had suggested around 500,000 could benefit from the plan, new figures from think tank Funcas put the number of people living irregularly in Spain closer to 840,000.
Sanchez’s move has drawn backlash from opposition figures and EU officials, with Brussels migration chief Magnus Brunner warning last week that migrants granted residency in Spain could be sent back if they move elsewhere in the EU bloc.
But business leaders have welcomed the plan, arguing it could plug major labour shortages.
Josep Sanchez Llibre, head of Foment del Treball, said: “Businesses need immigration like the water we drink; there is a gap of 1.6 million jobs that we will have to fill with immigration.”
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