Spain passes reform bill to normalize around 300,000 migrants per year

​​​​​​​By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - The Spanish government passed a migration reform law on Tuesday to normalize around 300,000 migrants per year until 2027.

The left-wing government’s legal reform stands out in contrast to other Western nations’ increasingly hardline stances on immigration.

While the government said the reform would uphold human rights, European law and fight organized crime, economic concerns are at the forefront.

A report published this week by the government said labor and educational discrimination against foreigners in Spain costs the country €17 billion ($18 billion) per year -- around 1.3% of the country’s GDP.

“When we don’t make the most of the talent and human capacity of our foreign-born population, we are losing out on opportunities for growth and innovation that would benefit Spanish society as a whole,” Immigration Minister Elma Saiz said in a statement.

By reducing deadlines, making requirements more flexible and streamlining bureaucracy, the reform aims to improve channels for safe and regular migration, she added.

Spain is one of the European countries that receives the most irregular migrants each year.

From Jan. 1 to Nov. 15m 2024, more than 54,000 migrants entered Spain irregularly -- up 15% from 2023. The vast majority arrived on small boats traveling from northwest Africa to the Canary Islands.

Saiz said the reform will have a “tremendous impact” on the Spanish economy and labor force, as would make it easier to hire foreign workers.

For example, part of the reforms simplifies and clarifies the process for issuing short and long-term working visas, Saiz said Tuesday at a news conference.

She explained that the country will make obtaining residence more flexible, increasing pathways for family members and allowing work visa applicants to be self-employed.

The reform will also reduce from three years to two, the time an irregular migrant must live in the country to qualify for a visa.

At the same time, student visas will permit up to 30 hours of work per week. Additionally, the new regulation makes it easier for students to obtain work authorization after completing their studies.

"In short, the reform opens doors that were previously closed with three keys: training, employment, and family," she added.