New poll reveals strong majority in Spain against migrant legalisation plan

A majority of Spaniards oppose the Government’s proposed regularisation of irregular migrants, according to a SocioMétrica survey for El Español. The poll found that 66.7% of respondents were against the measure, which would grant legal residence to people currently living in Spain without valid documentation.

A further 32.6% said they supported the proposal, while a small proportion did not take a clear position or declined to answer. The findings suggest that public opinion is currently weighted towards rejection of the policy, although support remains significant at roughly one third of those surveyed.

Opposition strongest among younger age groups

As Published by El Español, the SocioMétrica data indicates that resistance is particularly high among younger respondents. In the 17 to 25 age group, opposition rises to around 80%, according to the breakdown provided in the survey results. Support among younger participants is significantly lower than the national average, with only around one in three expressing approval of the measure depending on the subgroup analysed.

Across older age brackets, opinion is closer to the overall national distribution, with a clearer balance between those in favour and those against, although opposition remains the dominant position. The survey also shows differences linked to political affiliation. Rejection is highest among voters aligned with the Partido Popular and Vox, while support is more common among PSOE, Sumar and Podemos supporters. However, even among voters of parties that generally support migration policy reforms, backing for large-scale regularisation is not unanimous.

Concerns over migration flows and public services

A key finding in the survey is the belief among many respondents that regularisation could encourage further irregular migration. Around seven in ten participants said they expected a “pull effect”, meaning that people might attempt to enter Spain without documentation in anticipation of future legalisation programmes.

Respondents also expressed concern about pressure on public services. Housing availability, healthcare capacity and employment competition were repeatedly identified as areas that could face strain if a large number of migrants were granted legal status over a short period.

These concerns reflect the overall feel in Spain about how migration policy interacts with existing structural pressures, particularly in urban areas where housing demand is already high and public services are under strain.

Government position and political disagreement

The Government has argued that regularising irregular migrants could help reduce undeclared work and bring more people into the formal economy. Officials also suggest it would improve labour protections and increase tax contributions from workers currently operating outside the system. Opposition parties reject this approach, arguing that it could increase incentives for irregular migration and place additional pressure on housing, healthcare and administrative systems.

Regional political leaders have also expressed differing positions, reflecting a lack of consensus across Spain’s political landscape. The SocioMétrica findings mirror this division, showing that public opinion is closely aligned with political preference, with attitudes varying significantly between party electorates.

What the results mean for irregular migrants

For irregular migrants living in Spain, the survey suggests continued uncertainty around future legal status. With a clear majority of respondents opposing the proposal, any attempt to advance a broad regularisation scheme is likely to face political resistance and possible delays. This environment may affect planning for individuals currently without documentation, particularly in relation to employment, housing and access to formal services.

Without legal status, many remain dependent on informal work and limited administrative access, which can affect long-term stability. At the same time, the survey also shows that a substantial minority of the population supports regularisation, indicating that there is still political space for reform under certain conditions. This suggests that any future proposal may need to be more narrowly defined or include stricter eligibility criteria to gain wider acceptance.

Wider implications for migration policy in Spain

The findings underline the current challenge facing Spanish migration policy, where economic needs, public opinion and political disagreement intersect. Certain sectors of the economy, including agriculture, hospitality and care work, continue to rely heavily on migrant labour, including workers without formal documentation. This creates a structural tension between labour demand and political reluctance to expand regularisation schemes.

The SocioMétrica survey indicates that migration policy will remain a contested issue, with no clear consensus among the public or political parties. Any future reform is likely to be shaped by this division, as well as by wider debates about public services, labour markets and population growth. As a result, irregular migrants in Spain are likely to remain in a legally uncertain position unless a new political agreement emerges that bridges the current gap between support and opposition.