Spain is set to regularize nearly 500,000 undocumented migrants under an exceptional measure aimed at easing labor shortages and supporting economic growth, a move expected to largely benefit Moroccan nationals, the country’s largest foreign community.
Moroccans could account for around a quarter of those eligible under the scheme, according to estimates cited by the Moroccan daily Al Akhbar.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said last week that his government had adopted a royal decree launching an unprecedented regularization process for undocumented foreigners who have lived in Spain for at least five months and arrived before Dec. 31, 2025. The decree does not require parliamentary approval.
Sánchez cast the measure as both humanitarian and economically necessary, saying many undocumented migrants already contribute to sectors such as agriculture, construction and services.
“They are part of our daily lives,” Sánchez was quoted as saying. “Their legal and organized integration will allow us to guarantee their rights while strengthening tax revenues and social security contributions.”
Applications will open online on April 16. The government has pledged simplified procedures to avoid bureaucratic delays at a time when foreign labor has become increasingly vital due to Spain’s ageing population and declining birth rate.
The decision sets Spain apart from a broader European trend toward tighter migration policies. Sánchez described Madrid’s approach as “responsible and supportive”, pushing back against criticism from conservative and far‑right parties that have labelled the plan overly lenient.
Moroccans form Spain’s largest foreign diaspora, numbering more than one million residents. Around 125,000 Moroccans could qualify under the scheme, representing about 25% of the estimated undocumented population targeted by the decree, according to Al Akhbar.
