Madrid (AFP) – More than one million undocumented migrants in Spain have sought legal status under a scheme that has defied a wider European crackdown on irregular immigration, the government said on Tuesday, the final day for submissions.
Issued on: 30/06/2026 - 11:00
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The vast scheme was predicted to benefit around 500,000 people, most from Latin America, when the left-wing government launched it in April."The more than one million applications submitted... show how necessary this recognition of rights and responsibilities was," Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told an event in Madrid.Sanchez has become a standard bearer of more open immigration policies as his European neighbours -- including some Socialist peers -- toughen measures in response to pressure from ascendant far-right parties.He has long argued that immigrants are needed to sustain the economy, the welfare state and pensions amid Spain's ageing population and depopulation in rural regions.The number of applications submitted does not necessarily indicate how many migrants will secure their legal status.Applicants must prove they have a clean criminal record and spent at least five consecutive months in Spain before January 1.The authorities have three months to process their paperwork and decide whether to issue a work and residence permit only valid in Spain.
