Just hours after the government confirmed details of its extraordinary regularisation, opposition parties launched a coordinated attack on the plan, warning that it will exacerbate Spain’s housing crunch and overwhelm public services. The conservative Partido Popular and far-right Vox accused the minority Socialist-Podemos coalition of pursuing “electoral engineering” by fast-tracking future voters.
Under the decree, foreign nationals who have lived in Spain for at least five months before 31 December 2025—or who filed an asylum claim before that date—may receive a one-year renewable permit (five years for minors) and, eventually, citizenship after ten years (or less for Latin-Americans and refugees). Analysts note that immigration accounted for almost all of Spain’s 1.5 million population increase in the past three years and that 90 % of new jobs have gone to foreign-born workers.
For anyone trying to make sense of the new rules, VisaHQ can be a useful ally. Through its dedicated Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/), the service provides up-to-date guidance on residence permits, document legalisation and appointment scheduling, helping both employers and individuals navigate the paperwork efficiently and avoid costly missteps.
![Political backlash intensifies over Spain’s mass-regularisation decree]()
Business groups broadly welcome the measure but echo concerns about housing supply. Spain’s rental market, particularly in Madrid, Barcelona and coastal hubs, is already under severe pressure. Without parallel investments in social housing, public opinion could shift quickly against newcomers, economists warn.
For mobility and HR professionals, the political row is a reminder that documentation alone does not guarantee social acceptance. Companies planning to employ newly-regularised workers should consider housing allowances or relocation support, especially in overheated markets, and should monitor for potential local resistance that could translate into bureaucratic slow-downs at municipal level.
Despite the controversy, legal experts expect the decree to withstand legal challenges because it follows precedents from previous amnesties and is framed as a labour-market measure rather than an asylum policy. Nevertheless, employers are advised to keep contingency timelines in case implementation is delayed by court injunctions or administrative overload.
Under the decree, foreign nationals who have lived in Spain for at least five months before 31 December 2025—or who filed an asylum claim before that date—may receive a one-year renewable permit (five years for minors) and, eventually, citizenship after ten years (or less for Latin-Americans and refugees). Analysts note that immigration accounted for almost all of Spain’s 1.5 million population increase in the past three years and that 90 % of new jobs have gone to foreign-born workers.
For anyone trying to make sense of the new rules, VisaHQ can be a useful ally. Through its dedicated Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/), the service provides up-to-date guidance on residence permits, document legalisation and appointment scheduling, helping both employers and individuals navigate the paperwork efficiently and avoid costly missteps.
Business groups broadly welcome the measure but echo concerns about housing supply. Spain’s rental market, particularly in Madrid, Barcelona and coastal hubs, is already under severe pressure. Without parallel investments in social housing, public opinion could shift quickly against newcomers, economists warn.
For mobility and HR professionals, the political row is a reminder that documentation alone does not guarantee social acceptance. Companies planning to employ newly-regularised workers should consider housing allowances or relocation support, especially in overheated markets, and should monitor for potential local resistance that could translate into bureaucratic slow-downs at municipal level.
Despite the controversy, legal experts expect the decree to withstand legal challenges because it follows precedents from previous amnesties and is framed as a labour-market measure rather than an asylum policy. Nevertheless, employers are advised to keep contingency timelines in case implementation is delayed by court injunctions or administrative overload.
