Spain's government has approved a decree that will allow up to half a million undocumented migrants and asylum seekers to regularise their status, setting the country apart from the increasingly restrictive migration policies seen across much of Europe.
The measure, due to take effect in April, will apply to people who can show they have lived in Spain for at least five months or who sought international protection before the end of 2025, provided they have no criminal record. The government says the aim is to cut red tape and bring long-term residents out of legal limbo.
In Madrid, officials framed the decision as a structural reform rather than an emergency fix. Migration minister Elma Saiz described the move as a turning point designed to remove long-standing bureaucratic obstacles and to align migration policy with integration, economic growth, and social cohesion.
The decree arrives amid pressure from parties on the left and civil society groups, who have argued that Spain's economy and welfare system depend on migration. Conservative and far-right parties (PP and VOX) reacted sharply, accusing the government of creating a pull effect and straining public services.