Overview
- The special application window closed at the end of June and registered roughly 1.3 million submissions on the state platform, a turnout that far exceeded government estimates.
- About 360,000 cases have already been admitted to final processing and those applicants received provisional work permits while authorities review their files.
- Applicants must show at least five months’ continuous residence through December 31, 2025 and clean criminal records from both origin countries and Spain, but many faced long queues and delays obtaining foreign police certificates or local proof of residence.
- Conservative parties PP and VOX mounted legal challenges that failed and continue to criticize the move while the government says the drive will reduce informal work and boost the labour force; officials now have a three-month legal deadline to decide the remaining cases.
- Administrative bottlenecks and regional obstruction remain key risks to implementation because some local offices withheld routine documents needed to qualify and processing capacity at ministries and registries has lagged behind demand.