Spain to Legalize Over 500,000 Migrants in Major Administrative Overhaul
The Spanish government has approved an extraordinary administrative regularization process that will allow more than half a million migrants currently living in the country to obtain legal work status. This initiative serves as the primary milestone of the Plan de Integración y Convivencia Intercultural, a strategy designed to align Spain’s migration policy with human rights, social cohesion, and economic growth.
The move is expected to have a measurable impact on the national economy. While the regularization of immigrants is projected to increase GDP and total hours worked, projections suggest it may lead to a 0.6% decrease in wages.
Regional cooperation has been central to the rollout of the program. On February 17, 2026, Nerea Melgosa, the Basque Minister of Welfare, Youth, and Demographic Challenge, met with Elma Saiz, Spain’s Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, in Madrid to pledge support for the process. This meeting followed a high-level discussion held in January 2026 between Lehendakari Imanol Pradales and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
To ensure the process is accessible, the Basque government announced it will develop a new guide to assist foreign nationals navigating the extraordinary regularization requirements. Additional resources, including detailed Q&As on the process, have been made available to clarify the administrative steps.
The policy has also garnered support from religious sectors. Various Catholic associations have described the mass regularization as a “coherent expression of the Gospel,” framing the legal shift as a moral imperative.
By transitioning hundreds of thousands of residents into the legal workforce, the Spanish government aims to reinforce a model of coexistence that balances human rights with the country’s economic needs. This broad effort to integrate migrants into the legal labor market highlights the government’s intent to formalize a significant portion of the existing undocumented population.
The move underscores a strategic shift toward a more inclusive migration framework, attempting to synchronize labor market demands with the social integration of foreign residents.
