Spain prepares to legalise hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants already living in the country

For many people in Spain, the debate around migration often feels abstract – until a major announcement suddenly brings it back into focus. This week, the Spanish government confirmed it is moving ahead with an extraordinary regularisation process aimed at people who are already living and working in the country without legal status.

The measure, which will be formally launched through a Royal Decree approved by the Council of Ministers, is intended to provide legal certainty to what the government describes as a long-standing social reality. Officials insist the aim is not to attract new arrivals, but to address the situation of migrants who are already embedded in Spanish society.

The decision follows months of political deadlock and comes after an agreement between the PSOE and Podemos, reviving a proposal that had been effectively frozen despite wide parliamentary support.

Who could benefit from the regularisation

According to details released by the government and confirmed by Podemos, the plan is expected to benefit around half a million people. Eligibility would be limited to foreign nationals who can prove they were already in Spain before 31 December 2025 and who can demonstrate at least five months of residence.

Proof will not be restricted to official registration. Authorities will also accept alternative documents such as medical records, utility bills or money transfer receipts, recognising that many undocumented migrants work informally and lack standard paperwork. People with criminal records, however, will be excluded from the process.

One key element of the proposal is its immediate legal impact. Once an application is submitted, administrative deportation procedures and expulsion orders linked to working without a permit would be suspended. Applicants would also receive temporary residence authorisation, allowing them to work legally and access healthcare while their case is assessed.

If approved, migrants would be granted a one-year residence permit, with the option to move on to a standard residence status under Spain’s existing immigration regulations.

Why the government chose this legal route

Rather than pushing the measure through parliament, the government has opted for a Royal Decree, a move that avoids the need for parliamentary validation. The choice is widely seen as a way to sidestep political resistance, particularly after previous migration proposals stalled due to lack of consensus among coalition partners and opposition parties.

Government sources say the decree responds directly to a citizens’ legislative initiative backed by more than 700,000 signatures, which had already been accepted for consideration by an overwhelming majority of MPs – all parties except Vox.

The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration argues the reform strengthens a migration model based on human rights, integration and social cohesion, while remaining compatible with economic growth. Officials insist the measure simply brings the law into line with reality, acknowledging that many undocumented migrants already contribute to key sectors of the economy.

Strong reactions across the political spectrum

Supporters of the regularisation frame it as a matter of fairness. Podemos has described the move as urgent and rooted in social justice, arguing that keeping hundreds of thousands of people in legal limbo only fuels labour exploitation and racial discrimination.

Party figures point out that many undocumented migrants are already working – often without contracts – and say denying them rights benefits only those who profit from precarious labour. They also warn that institutional exclusion can create fertile ground for racism and social tension.

Sumar, another government partner, welcomed the announcement. Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz said the measure moves Spain closer to a more democratic society, contrasting the government’s approach with what she described as rising hostility towards migrants in other countries.

The opposition, however, has reacted sharply. The Popular Party (PP) has criticised the plan as a “smokescreen”, arguing it risks encouraging irregular migration and putting additional pressure on public services such as housing, healthcare and education. Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo claimed the move sends the wrong message and lacks clarity about its long-term impact.

Vox has taken an even harder line. Its leader, Santiago Abascal, accused Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of deliberately promoting mass immigration and claimed the decree threatens Spain’s national identity. His comments have added to an already polarised debate.

Not Spain’s first mass regularisation

Despite the controversy, the proposal is far from unprecedented. Spain has carried out eight extraordinary migrant regularisations since the 1980s, under both socialist and conservative governments.

The first processes took place under Felipe González in 1985 and 1991. Later, during José María Aznar’s time in office, several schemes were introduced, including the arraigo mechanism, which linked legal status to time spent in Spain and employment history.

The largest regularisation came in 2005 under José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, when nearly 578,000 migrants obtained legal papers. That process was closely tied to the labour market and required a signed work contract.

In that context, today’s proposal follows a familiar pattern: governments responding to the reality that large numbers of migrants are already living, working and raising families in Spain without legal protection.

As the Royal Decree moves forward, the political debate is unlikely to fade. But for many undocumented migrants already in Spain, the announcement represents something far more concrete – the possibility of legal stability, access to rights, and a life no longer lived in the shadows.

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