Overview
- Spanish authorities confirmed the application window closed on June 30, 2026 with more than one million undocumented people filing to gain a Spain-only residence and work permit.
- Under the program, applicants had to show they had lived in Spain since at least January 1 and have no criminal record, and officials now have three months to grant or reject each case.
- Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended the measure as protecting human rights and boosting the economy while announcing a national integration plan and funding to help absorb successful applicants.
- The surge far exceeded Madrid’s initial estimate of roughly 500,000 potential beneficiaries and has already produced long queues at registration sites and paperwork problems such as missing foreign police records.
- The outcome will affect workers, employers and public services because many applicants are of working age, most come from Latin America, and rapid processing will determine short-term labour supply, school and health demands and political debate.