Spain’s government has received approximately 900,000 applications from undocumented migrants seeking legal status under its extraordinary regularisation programme, far exceeding the initial expectation of around 500,000, the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration said on Monday.
The scheme, which opened for applications in mid-April and closes on June 30, offers eligible migrants a one-year renewable residence and work permit.
To qualify, applicants must prove continuous residence in Spain before January 1, 2026, at least five months of stay, a clean criminal record, and no threat to public order.
So far, authorities have granted around 360,000 temporary permits, representing roughly 40 per cent of processed requests.
The surge in demand has surprised officials and highlights the scale of Spain’s undocumented population, estimated by the Funcas think-tank at around 840,000 at the start of 2025, the majority from Latin America.
Non-profit organisation CEAR expects the final figure to exceed one million by the deadline.
The Socialist-led government under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has framed the measure as a pragmatic step to integrate workers already contributing to key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, care services and construction.
By bringing people into the formal economy, the programme is intended to boost tax revenues, reduce exploitation and address labour shortages in an ageing society.
Supporters, including migrant advocacy groups and business organisations, welcome the move as a humanitarian and economic necessity.
Critics, including regional governments in areas with high migration pressure, argue that the programme risks acting as a pull factor for further irregular migration and places undue strain on public services and housing.
Processing challenges are already emerging.
With only two weeks remaining, immigration offices and the online portal face significant backlogs, raising concerns about timely decisions within the three-month legal window.
The high uptake comes as Spain continues to manage large arrivals via the Canary Islands and Mediterranean routes, even as several other European countries tighten border policies.
With allowing such high numbers of migrants, Spain is a outlier in Europe, where border controls are becoming more tight and many capitals are working on returns rather than letting more people in.
The government maintains that regularisation of long-term residents complements stronger external border controls and returns.
