• Spain plans to grant legal status to up to 840,000 undocumented migrants.
• Migrants can apply for residency and work permits starting in April 2026.
• Government cites economic necessity and human rights as key reasons for the policy.
• The initiative has received mixed reactions from political parties and migrant rights groups.
• The move is viewed as a significant departure from harsher immigration policies seen in other countries.

Spain’s government has announced a significant immigration policy aimed at granting legal status to potentially hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants currently living and working in the country without authorization. This policy represents a notable departure from the increasingly strict immigration policies seen in the United States and much of Europe, particularly since the Trump administration took office. Migration Minister Elma Saiz indicated that the initiative is expected to benefit between 500,000 and 840,000 undocumented individuals residing in Spain, many of whom are from Latin America and Africa, contributing to essential sectors like agriculture and tourism, according to scmp, africanews, and lemonde.

The new immigration regulations will allow migrants who arrived before December 31, 2025, to apply for a one-year residency and work permit, provided they can demonstrate a clean criminal record and at least five months of residence in Spain. The application process is set to commence in April and will remain open until the end of June 2026, a timeline that was established following discussions between the ruling Socialist Party and the left-wing Podemos party, reports bbc and latimes.

Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has emphasized the importance of immigration in addressing workforce shortages and counteracting the challenges posed by an ageing population. "Migration is crucial for filling the workforce gaps and maintaining our social security system," Saiz reiterated during a press briefing. This perspective aligns with broader government views that recognize the economic contributions of immigrants, stating that migration has accounted for 80% of Spain's economic growth over the past six years, as noted by scmp and lemonde.

Despite the positive reception from migrant rights groups and entities like the Spanish Catholic Church, which described the move as a "social justice" initiative, the policy is not without opposition. Conservative parties, led by figures like Alberto Núñez Feijóo from the Popular Party, have criticized the decision, claiming it could incentivize further illegal immigration and strain public services. Contrastingly, supportive factions argue this regularization reflects a humane approach to migration amidst a global trend towards stricter policies, as indicated by statements from latimes and bbc.