Spain to Regularise 500,000 Undocumented Migrants in 2026
Civil-Service Union Warns of Extranjería Backlog Ahead of Mass Regularisation
Vueling Adds Pop-Up Flights on Madrid–Barcelona Shuttle as Rail Works Disrupt AVE
Latest News
Nationwide Rail Strike Set for 9-11 February After Talks Fail
Rail unions will strike from 9–11 February across Spain after safety talks broke down, threatening severe disruption on high-speed and commuter routes. Minimum-service levels will be announced shortly, but companies should already be re-routing travellers.
Tourism Body Slams Passport-Control Queues at Tenerife Sur Airport
Ashotel has demanded fines against Aena after passport-control queues at Tenerife Sur stretched beyond an hour on 4 February. The lobby cites staff shortages and EES gate malfunctions, warning the delays risk damaging the Canaries’ tourism brand.
Spain Orders Platforms to Delete 80,000 Illegal Short-Term Rental Listings
The Housing Ministry has ordered the takedown of over 80,000 illegal short-term-rental adverts, the latest salvo in enforcing Spain’s new tourist-property register. Corporate travellers may see fewer but more compliant housing options in Madrid, Barcelona and coastal hotspots.
Madrid–Barcelona high-speed operators accept 25-minute longer journey times amid emergency track inspections
From 3 February, journeys on the Madrid–Barcelona AVE corridor will be about 25 minutes longer while Adif carries out intensified overnight inspections. Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo have cut late-night services and adjusted timetables through at least 8 February. Travellers and corporate schedulers should plan for longer rail journeys and possible knock-on delays.
NGO report warns Spain’s asylum protection rate hits EU-low as 218,731 cases await decision
CEAR’s 3 February report shows Spain approved only 11 % of asylum claims in 2025—Europe’s lowest rate—and still has over 218,000 cases pending. The NGO says streamlined procedures risk superficial reviews and calls for more resources to protect genuine refugees.
Railway workers stage protest in Madrid over chronic network delays and under-investment
Railway unions demonstrated outside the Transport Ministry on 3 February, citing repeated service disruptions and demanding a long-term maintenance budget. The protest signals potential for broader industrial action that could further impact business and commuter travel in the coming months.
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.