Pedro Sánchez Announces Mass Residency Permits for Undocumented Immigrants
Government will grant one-year renewable residency and work permits to foreigners who arrived before Dec. 31, 2025; applications run April 1–June 30, 2026.
Overview
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Jan. 27, 2026 that the government approved by decree a regularization granting residency and work permits to foreigners who arrived before Dec. 31, 2025, officials said.
The measure could benefit more than 500,000 people, the government and the Regularización Ya campaign estimate, while some organisations and researchers put the undocumented population at up to 800,000, underscoring the policy's potential scale.
Elma Saiz, Spain's Minister of Migration, said her ministry will dedicate additional resources to process applications, while Vox leader Santiago Abascal announced a legal challenge and the Partido Popular said it will denounce the decree to other European leaders.
Spain hosted a record 97 million tourists last year who spent more than €130 billion, migrants make up almost 18% of residents, and migrants account for roughly 30% of hospitality staff and 20% of construction workers, official data show.
Applicants must file between April 1 and June 30, 2026 and provide proof of five months' residence and a clean criminal record, officials said, prompting consulates to open weekends amid concerns about processing capacity and appointment scams selling slots for €50.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Spain’s amnesty sympathetically, using editorial choices—loaded descriptors like "exploited, marginalized and invisible," hopeful individual anecdotes, and contrasts with "harsh rhetoric" abroad—to emphasize integration and economic contribution. Source content (first-person quotes) supplies human detail, while critical perspectives are minimally represented, reinforcing the pro-integration narrative.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Foreign nationals who arrived in Spain before December 31, 2025, must prove at least five months of continuous residence, provide a clean criminal record, and apply between April 1 and June 30, 2026.
The government and campaigns estimate over 500,000 people could benefit, while some organizations and researchers suggest the undocumented population could be up to 800,000.
Applicants receive an automatic receipt authorizing employment while processing; the initial one-year permit is renewable and can transition to ordinary categories like social or employment arraigo after six months of legal work.
Vox leader Santiago Abascal announced a legal challenge, and Partido Popular plans to denounce the decree to other European leaders.
Family members, including minor children, may be included in the same application file; minors can receive authorizations up to five years.
History
This story does not have any previous versions.