On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, Spain’s government approved an amnesty initiative allowing around 500,000 undocumented immigrants to apply for legal status. By enacting this large-scale regularization effort, Spain positions itself as a distinct political outlier within the European Union bloc, where anti-immigration sentiments have otherwise continued to harden. Eligible applicants must have lived in Spain before January 1, provide proof of a minimum five-month stay, and have no criminal record. The plan entails a one-year residency and work permit, renewable for longer-term status. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez introduced the measure via decree to bypass parliamentary opposition. While Sánchez called the move “an act of justice and necessity,” opposition parties criticized it as “inhumane” and “unsustainable.” Immigration officers’ unions warned of resource shortages, and critics fear administrative overload
Date: April 14, 2026. Source: aljazeera.com