Spain to grant residence permit to undocumented migrants for workforce integration

The Spanish government has approved an extensive plan to grant legal status to approximately 500,000 undocumented migrants to formally integrate these individuals into the national workforce and wider society.

Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s prime minister defended the policy on social media, described it as both a moral necessity and a practical requirement for the country.

The prime minister noted that the move seeks to acknowledge the reality of nearly half a million people who already form part of our everyday lives.

While Nigerians constitute part of the sub-Saharan population arriving by boat (with 2024 seeing a record 46,843 arrivals in the Canary Islands), they are not the largest group of undocumented immigrants, who are mostly from Latin America.

Many Nigerian migrants reach Spain via dangerous sea routes to the Canary Islands or through North Africa (Morocco/Algeria).

In 2023, Spanish officials reported that illegal entries by Nigerians and other Africans were reduced by nearly 60 percent compared to previous periods, as a result of increased cooperation with African partners, although overall irregular migration from West Africa remains high.

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Under the new regulations, eligible applicants will receive a one-year residence permit, which is renewable upon expiry. To qualify, individuals must meet the following criteria:

Residency: Proof of living in Spain for at least five months.

Conduct: A clean criminal record.

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Timeline: The application window opens on April 16 and closes at the end of June 2026.

Sánchez emphasised that migrants contribute significantly to the nation, helping to “build the rich, open and diverse Spain that we are and to which we aspire.”

He argued that regularising their status would help the economy and help sustain public services in the face of an ageing population.

He also noted that given Spain’s own history of emigration, the policy is a “morally appropriate” step.

Estimates indicates that there are roughly 840,000 undocumented migrants currently in Spain, majority of whom arrive from Latin America, the government’s plan has met with a divided response.

The conservative opposition- People’s Party (PP), has pledged to challenge the legislation, arguing that the move rewards illegal migration, may act as a “pull factor” for more arrivals. Labeling the proposal an “outrage,” the PP suggests the actual number of applicants could reach one million, far exceeding government projections.

Conversely, the policy has received notable support from the Catholic Church. For many individuals, the scheme represents a vital path to stability.

This is not the first time Spain has utilised regularisation programmes; such measures have been implemented previously by both Socialist and PP administrations. The most significant recent instance occurred in 2005, when a Socialist government granted residency to 577,000 people.

Ngozi Ekugo

Ngozi Ekugo is a Senior Correspondent at BusinessDay. She holds a Masters in management from the University of Lagos, an undergraduate from University of Lagos, and is in an alumni of Queen's College. Shes currently an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM). She has a brief experience at Goldman sachs, London in its Human Capital Management division. She is interested in human capital development and is leveraging her varied experience across sectors to report labour and global mobility trends for stakeholders to make informed decisions.