Madrid–Barcelona high-speed operators accept 25-minute longer journey times amid emergency track inspections
NGO report warns Spain’s asylum protection rate hits EU-low as 218,731 cases await decision
Railway workers stage protest in Madrid over chronic network delays and under-investment
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Castilla y León employers relaunch programme to help companies hire regularising migrants
FAE ASEMAR and local NGOs will host a 10 February workshop guiding companies through Spain’s forthcoming migrant-regularisation rules. The initiative aims to help SMEs in Burgos province hire newly-authorised workers quickly and compliantly.
Spain to grant legal status to 500,000 undocumented migrants in historic regularisation drive
Spain’s government has approved a royal decree that will regularise about 500,000 undocumented migrants and asylum-seekers from April 2026. Beneficiaries will receive one-year residence permits convertible to standard categories, giving them full labour-market access. The move is expected to ease skills shortages and expand Spain’s tax base, although it faces opposition from conservative parties. Employers should prepare to integrate newly regularised talent and monitor processing timelines.
EU postpones full Entry/Exit System rollout to September 2026 amid congestion fears
The European Commission has delayed the deadline for full deployment of the Schengen Entry/Exit System from April to September 2026 after pilot airports recorded hours-long queues. Spain gains extra time to finish kiosk installations and staff training, reducing the risk of summer bottlenecks. Business travellers should still expect variable processing times and build extra margin into itineraries, while ETIAS implementation is effectively postponed until 2027.
Late-night Madrid–Barcelona high-speed trains cut as Adif orders extra safety inspections
Adif has instructed Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo to drop their final Madrid–Barcelona high-speed departures to create longer overnight maintenance windows after recent track-safety scares. The cutbacks, effective 2 February 2026, affect popular after-work AVE services and may force business travellers to reschedule or stay overnight. Operators are rebooking customers and offering free changes or refunds, but no timeline has been given for restoring the frequencies.