Migrants rush to apply under Spain’s new mass legalization program
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Spain has launched a migrant amnesty program allowing unauthorized immigrants who have lived in the country for at least five months and have a clean criminal record to apply for a one-year renewable residence permit until the end of June.
- The government estimates the program could affect up to 500,000 migrants, while a think tank estimates the number could be around 840,000, raising concerns about the short processing window.
- Applications can be submitted in person at over 370 post offices, 60 social security offices, migration offices, or online, with initial reports indicating smooth but sometimes slow processing.
- Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez frames the legalization as both a social justice issue and an economic necessity to support Spain’s aging population and key sectors reliant on immigrant labor.
- This measure contrasts with stricter immigration policies elsewhere in Europe and follows Spain’s history of granting amnesties to unauthorized immigrants, with significant migrant populations from Latin America and Africa contributing to the economy.
