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Spain Registers 1.174 Million Applications to Extraordinary Regularization

Rapid additions to the workforce from the regularization come with a pending Supreme Court review that could reshape the process.

Overview

  • The Ministry of Inclusion reported on Thursday that 1,174,978 applications were filed and about 52% (≈608,000–609,737) have been admitted to trámite, a stage that grants provisional residence and work rights.
  • By June 30, 159,097 people from the process were recorded in Social Security, with most new registrations concentrated in hospitality, commerce and construction and many contracts reported as indefinite.
  • The Supreme Court issued a providence expressing doubts about the procedure’s compatibility with EU law and may refer questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union, creating a real risk of judicial delay or constraint.
  • Police and unions warn that TIE issuance and extranjería offices are saturated, prompting a Police 'plan de choque' with extra shifts while officials flag risks of fraud and administrative backlog.
  • The policy has split politics: employers, unions and many civil-society groups back it as a response to labour shortages, while Vox and some PP figures condemn it and several regional governments are exploring legal challenges; past regularizations (2000–2005) offer precedent but the legal outcome and speed of final resolutions remain the key next developments.