'A migration model based on human rights': Spain to grant legal status to half a million undocumented migrants (CNN)
This is two months old -- but I heard about it on the radio today, presumably because registration is beginning this month.
UPDATED JAN 28, 2026, 5:15 AM ET
PUBLISHED JAN 27, 2026, 6:14 PM ET
By Paul Mosquera
Madrid, Spain Spain has announced it will grant legal status to 500,000 undocumented migrants, in a move that goes against a trend of anti-immigration rhetoric and policies in the United States and much of Europe.
The move, announced Tuesday, is aimed at reducing labor exploitation in Spains underground economy. The countrys central bank and the United Nations have previously said that Spain needs around 300,000 migrant workers a year to sustain its welfare state.
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Foreigners who arrived in the country before Dec. 31, 2025 and can prove they have been living in the country for at least five months will be granted legal residency of up to one year and work permits valid for any sector and throughout the country. They will need to prove they have no criminal record.
People will be able to apply from the beginning of
April until June 30, 2026.
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quite a bit more:
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/27/europe/spain-legal-status-undocumented-migrants-latam-intl
Not the first time Spain has done this. Apparently Spain considers this necessary and healthy.