The issue of migrant legalization has once again taken center stage in Spanish society. The government’s decision to launch a large-scale regularization affects hundreds of thousands of people and could shift the balance in the labor market, as well as impact social stability. For many families, this is a chance to come out of the shadows, but for politicians, it is a new occasion for accusations and heated debate.
New Initiative
At the next meeting in Moncloa, the government plans to approve an emergency legalization of migrants using a royal decree. This move would bypass parliamentary procedures and speed up the process. According to preliminary data, those residing in Spain until the end of 2025 will be eligible for legalization, provided they can confirm five months of residency and have no serious criminal record. Proof can include registration documents, medical certificates, rental agreements, transport tickets, and other papers confirming their presence in the country.
Estimates suggest that about 800,000 people without legal status are currently in Spain. More than half of them are expected to benefit from the new decree. For many, this will provide the opportunity to obtain a one-year permit to work and live, with the possibility of later transitioning to standard residence permits. Special attention is given to families: children already in Spain will be able to receive five-year status, making their integration much easier.
Reaction and Criticism
The government’s decision sparked a strong backlash from the opposition. The leader of the Partido Popular (PP), Alberto Núñez Feijóo, accused the current administration of trying to divert attention from other issues, including recent train accidents in Córdoba and Barcelona. On social media, critics claimed that the legalization encourages illegal stay, with some calling the process a ‘reward for breaking the law.’
However, such measures are not new in Spain. Since the transition to democracy, the country has carried out mass legalizations seven times, not only under the Socialists. In 1986, Felipe González’s government legalized the status of tens of thousands of foreigners for the first time. Another wave followed in the early ’90s, covering more than 100,000 people.
Historical context
Notably, the Partido Popular, now opposing the initiative, itself launched several major legalization processes during José María Aznar’s government. In 1996, over 21,000 migrants received their documents; in 2000, more than 160,000; and in 2001, nearly 240,000. Later, under Socialist leader José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the largest legalization drive was carried out in 2005, affecting 570,000 people. At the time, this move was dubbed the ‘normalization process.’
The most recent and more limited legalization took place in 2024 after a devastating flood in Valencia, when 25,000 foreigners were granted the right to stay in the country. At that time, despite the support of the PP, parliament failed to advance a mass legalization initiative, and only an agreement between PSOE and Podemos made it possible to revisit the issue.
Current situation
Minister of Social Security, Migration and Inclusion Elma Saiz emphasized that all applications will be reviewed quickly and with full safeguards. The new permits will be valid nationwide and allow employment in any sector. Special provisions are in place for families with children: children will receive five-year status, while adults will get a one-year permit, with the option to renew.
Society remains divided over the consequences of this policy. Some believe it will help bring thousands of workers out of the shadows and strengthen the economy, while others fear increased social tension and new waves of migration. In any case, the government’s decision has already become one of the year’s most debated topics, and its consequences are likely to fuel heated discussions for a long time to come.
