Spain Integrates Over 600,000 Migrants into Labor Market Through Legalization Campaign
The Spanish government announced today, Thursday, that more than 609,000 migrants have applied to regularize their legal status as part of the country's latest amnesty campaign. These applicants are being granted temporary work permits, allowing them to integrate into the formal labor market while their applications are being processed.
This program comes as part of Spain's efforts to address labor shortages in several vital sectors, in addition to regularizing the status of irregular migrants and integrating them into the official economy. Preliminary figures reveal a significant uptake in the program, as authorities continue to review applications and grant residence permits to those who meet the conditions.
The Spanish government clarified that the number of applicants for legal status regularization reached 609,737 migrants out of approximately 1.17 million migrants residing in the country, during the period from April 16 to June 30, 2026.
Upon submitting an application, applicants receive a temporary work permit that allows them to work legally until their files are fully processed. This facilitates their integration into the labor market and enables employers to hire them formally.
Pilar Cancela, Secretary of State for Migration, and Borja Suárez, Secretary of State for Social Security, confirmed that applicants who fulfill the procedures benefit from this temporary permit throughout the processing period of their applications.
Official data showed that approximately 160,000 people with temporary work permits have already secured formal jobs as of June 30, 2026, while about 11,000 people have so far received renewable one-year residence permits.
Eligibility Conditions
The regularization campaign includes irregular migrants who meet a set of basic conditions, most notably:
- Residing in Spain for at least five months before the end of 2025.
- Absence of a criminal record.
- Completion of the legal status regularization application procedures during the specified period.
According to the Spanish government, those accepted into the program receive a one-year renewable residence permit, allowing them to continue residing and working legally in accordance with applicable legislation.
Spanish authorities are also working in cooperation with companies and institutions in several economic sectors facing labor shortages, with the aim of accelerating the integration of beneficiaries into available jobs. These sectors include:
- Construction.
- Tourism.
- Transport.
- Healthcare.
The government believes that this step will help meet labor market needs, support the Spanish economy, reduce reliance on irregular labor, and enhance migrant integration into society.
This campaign is part of a broader policy adopted by Spain to regulate immigration and leverage foreign labor to address demographic aging challenges and labor shortages in many professions, while maintaining legal controls for residency and work.
At the conclusion of the initial campaign, figures indicate the program's success in attracting over half a million applications within a short period, as Spanish authorities continue to review files and grant residence permits to eligible applicants according to the announced conditions. The application reception period lasted from April 16 to June 30, 2026, with application processing continuing after registration ended. Official bodies advise applicants to monitor their file status and review updates issued by the competent Spanish authorities.
Source: Reuters – Spain's amnesty drive brings 600,000 migrants into formal economy during 2026.