Spain is launching a large-scale legalization of migrants, but at this very moment, Extranjería employees have declared an indefinite strike. This poses a risk of processing delays for hundreds of thousands of foreigners, which could impact the economy and social stability. The issue affects not only migrants but also everyone who relies on government services.
Reasons for the protest
Extranjería employees, under the Ministry of Territorial Policy, are demanding a review of job structures, higher salaries, and recognition of their contribution to overall results. Their demands also include creating new positions to serve the public and improving working conditions. As El Pais notes, such protests have occurred before, but now the situation is more complicated due to its coincidence with the start of the mass legalization.
Last year, a similar strike already paralyzed the agency’s operations, with staff shortages cited as the main reason at the time. Now, Extranjería faces an even greater workload: about 750,000 legalization applications are expected, and the application period is limited—until the end of June. The largest influx of applicants is anticipated in major cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, and Murcia, as well as in Malaga, Almeria, Girona, and the Balearic Islands.
Organization of the process
To speed up the process, the authorities enlisted Correos branches and some Seguridad Social departments to ease the burden on Extranjería. Additionally, state-owned companies Tragsa and Tragsatec will provide technical and administrative support, but their role will be limited to auxiliary tasks. The main responsibility for processing applications remains with Extranjería and the special UTEX unit, which will make decisions on each case.
According to El Pais, ministries have long debated who should be responsible for the administrative support of migrants. Experts suggest centralizing these functions within the Ministry of Migration to avoid duplication and speed up the process. However, the structure remains unchanged, creating additional complications during this period of mass regularization.
Possible consequences
If the strike drags on, it could cause significant delays not only for new applicants but also for those whose regularization cases have been pending for some time. El Pais estimates that by the end of 2025, Extranjería could accumulate up to 180,000 unresolved cases. To prevent discrimination between previous and new applicants, the Ministry of Migration proposes automatic processing for some applications if the applicant has no criminal record and poses no threat to public safety.
Authorities have also established a separate accounting for Correos services expenses, which will be reimbursed from the budget. The exact amounts and payment procedures are expected to be determined within a month after the new decree comes into force. This measure aims to speed up document processing and reduce the workload on main offices.
Context and reactions
The Extranjería strike has become a topic of discussion not only among officials but also in political circles. The issue of migrant legalization has already sparked debate between parties, and some political groups are preparing lawsuits against mass legalization, as recently reported in coverage of PP’s reaction to the government’s initiative — details on the opposition’s position are available in the analysis on russpain.com.
In recent years, Spain has faced similar challenges: strikes at airports, mass protests by public employees, and delays in document processing have repeatedly disrupted the work of key agencies. Each time, authorities have had to seek compromises and temporary solutions to prevent a complete system paralysis. Now, the situation with Extranjería once again raises questions about the need to reform administrative procedures and redistribute responsibilities among ministries.
