The Spanish government has officially launched a major plan to regularize the status of hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants residing in the country. The initiative, announced by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, aims to address the reality of a significant population already integrated into daily life and the labor market.
In a post on the social media platform X on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, Prime Minister Sánchez framed the measure as "an act of normalization" to recognize the situation of these individuals. The government estimates that the plan could affect up to 470,000 people, primarily targeting those who have been living and working in Spain for a sustained period, though specific eligibility criteria are still being finalized.
The regularization is presented as both a humanitarian gesture and an economic strategy to formalize labor, increase social security contributions, and combat exploitation in the shadow economy. The plan has sparked political debate, with support from left-wing coalition partners and criticism from conservative opposition parties who argue it could encourage further irregular migration.
Government officials state that the application process will be detailed in the coming weeks, with the goal of processing requests efficiently. This move aligns with similar large-scale regularizations undertaken by Spain in the past, most notably in 2005.
