Spain’s Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration has released the draft text of a royal-decree-law that will grant a one-year residence-and-work permit to foreign nationals who can prove they were already in the country before 31 December 2025. The move, published for public comment late on 28 January, is the first formal step in the extraordinary regularisation process approved by the Council of Ministers the previous day. Employers, NGOs, bar associations and private citizens now have 15 working days to suggest amendments before the final wording returns to the cabinet for adoption, tentatively in March.
The government argues that the measure is both humanitarian and pragmatic. By converting up to half a million undocumented migrants into legally recognised workers, Madrid expects to boost social-security revenues, ease labour shortages in agriculture, hospitality and elder-care, and reduce the size of the informal economy. The decree sets a deliberately low evidentiary bar: continuous residence of just five months prior to the cut-off date, a clean criminal record and proof of basic integration such as school enrolment or rental contracts.
If you’re unsure how to assemble the correct documentation or track changing requirements, VisaHQ’s dedicated Spain team can guide both individuals and employers through each step of the application process, from compiling proof of residence to scheduling online submissions. You can learn more or start an order at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
![Spain Opens Public Consultation on Extraordinary Regularisation Decree]()
Once an application is filed online, the foreigner will obtain an automatic receipt that authorises employment while the case is processed. Family members, including minor children, may be included in the same file. After the initial 12-month permit expires, beneficiaries must switch to an ordinary residence category—most commonly social or employment arraigo—provided they have completed six months of legal work or run a registered business.
For corporate mobility managers, the decree offers a fast, low-cost way to regularise long-standing staff who entered Spain irregularly or overstayed visas. Legal teams should audit payrolls to identify candidates, assemble proof of presence (empadronamiento, bank statements, health cards) and schedule file submissions as soon as the portal opens, expected in early April. Because the process will close on 30 June 2026, HR departments face a tight window to act.
Political opposition remains fierce. The conservative Partido Popular warns of a magnet effect, while far-right Vox calls the plan a security risk. Yet Brussels has already confirmed that regularisation is a national competence. Given Spain’s ageing workforce and record job vacancies, most labour-market economists predict the decree will pass largely intact.
The government argues that the measure is both humanitarian and pragmatic. By converting up to half a million undocumented migrants into legally recognised workers, Madrid expects to boost social-security revenues, ease labour shortages in agriculture, hospitality and elder-care, and reduce the size of the informal economy. The decree sets a deliberately low evidentiary bar: continuous residence of just five months prior to the cut-off date, a clean criminal record and proof of basic integration such as school enrolment or rental contracts.
If you’re unsure how to assemble the correct documentation or track changing requirements, VisaHQ’s dedicated Spain team can guide both individuals and employers through each step of the application process, from compiling proof of residence to scheduling online submissions. You can learn more or start an order at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
Once an application is filed online, the foreigner will obtain an automatic receipt that authorises employment while the case is processed. Family members, including minor children, may be included in the same file. After the initial 12-month permit expires, beneficiaries must switch to an ordinary residence category—most commonly social or employment arraigo—provided they have completed six months of legal work or run a registered business.
For corporate mobility managers, the decree offers a fast, low-cost way to regularise long-standing staff who entered Spain irregularly or overstayed visas. Legal teams should audit payrolls to identify candidates, assemble proof of presence (empadronamiento, bank statements, health cards) and schedule file submissions as soon as the portal opens, expected in early April. Because the process will close on 30 June 2026, HR departments face a tight window to act.
Political opposition remains fierce. The conservative Partido Popular warns of a magnet effect, while far-right Vox calls the plan a security risk. Yet Brussels has already confirmed that regularisation is a national competence. Given Spain’s ageing workforce and record job vacancies, most labour-market economists predict the decree will pass largely intact.
