Spain Announces Plan to Grant Legal Status to Over 500,000 Undocumented Migrants

Spain’s government has unveiled a major migration reform that could see more than half a million undocumented migrants gain legal status, marking the country’s largest regularisation move in two decades.

According to the announcement, undocumented foreign nationals will be eligible for legalisation if they have no criminal record and can prove they lived in Spain for at least five months before December 31, 2025.

Calling it a landmark decision, Spain’s Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, described the move as “an historic day for our country.”

Successful applicants will receive an initial one-year residence permit, with the option to renew. Applications are expected to open in April 2026 and remain available until the end of June.

Spain has recorded a sharp rise in undocumented migration in recent years, particularly from Latin America. Research by Spanish think-tank Funcas shows that the number of undocumented migrants grew from 107,409 in 2017 to nearly 838,000 in 2025.

Government officials argue the policy supports human rights, social integration, and economic growth, noting that migrants play a key role in Spain’s labour force and social security system. The country is currently one of the fastest-growing economies in the EU, with unemployment falling below 10% for the first time since 2008.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has repeatedly described migrants as a source of “wealth, development and prosperity”for Spain.

However, the policy has sparked criticism from opposition parties. The conservative People’s Party (PP) warned the move could increase migration pressure and strain public services, while far-right party Vox announced plans to challenge the decision in court, claiming it threatens Spain’s national identity.

The regularisation will be approved by royal decree, meaning it does not require parliamentary approval.

If implemented, it will be Spain’s first mass migrant regularisation since 2005, when similar policies legalised the status of hundreds of thousands of migrants.