New figures released late on 25 February show Spain has expelled just 20,682 of an estimated 305,000 people who entered the country irregularly between 2019 and 2025—an overall removal rate of 6.8 percent. The data, provided by the Ministry of the Interior in response to parliamentary questions, reignites debate over Spain’s migration management as the government prepares a separate mass-regularisation decree for up to 500,000 undocumented residents.
Breakdowns indicate expulsions peaked in 2019 but have since fallen even as arrivals surged along Atlantic and Mediterranean routes, notably to the Canary Islands and the North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Opposition parties accuse Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of lax enforcement that encourages further arrivals, while supporters argue that Spain focuses on humanitarian reception and EU-level burden-sharing rather than deportations alone.
For added support in navigating Spain’s ever-shifting immigration rules, companies and individuals can turn to VisaHQ, whose online platform helps users complete Spanish visa or residence-permit applications, assemble the correct documentation, and secure consular appointments. Full service details are available at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
![Interior Ministry Data Reveal Under-7 Percent Expulsion Rate for Irregular Arrivals Since 2019]()
For employers, the low expulsion rate suggests that many foreign nationals remain in a prolonged state of irregularity, complicating background-check compliance and Social Security onboarding. Companies considering hiring locally in the Canaries or the agriculture belt of Almería should watch forthcoming regularisation rules, which could convert part of this population into a legal labour pool.
The Interior Ministry notes that removals require bilateral readmission agreements—lacking with several key source countries—and court oversight, which slows processes. It insists enforcement operations target individuals with criminal records or security risks first.
HR teams should track the April–June application window for the proposed amnesty: workers who obtain one-year provisional permits will immediately gain the right to work, potentially easing staff shortages in tourism and logistics ahead of the summer season.
Breakdowns indicate expulsions peaked in 2019 but have since fallen even as arrivals surged along Atlantic and Mediterranean routes, notably to the Canary Islands and the North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Opposition parties accuse Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of lax enforcement that encourages further arrivals, while supporters argue that Spain focuses on humanitarian reception and EU-level burden-sharing rather than deportations alone.
For added support in navigating Spain’s ever-shifting immigration rules, companies and individuals can turn to VisaHQ, whose online platform helps users complete Spanish visa or residence-permit applications, assemble the correct documentation, and secure consular appointments. Full service details are available at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
For employers, the low expulsion rate suggests that many foreign nationals remain in a prolonged state of irregularity, complicating background-check compliance and Social Security onboarding. Companies considering hiring locally in the Canaries or the agriculture belt of Almería should watch forthcoming regularisation rules, which could convert part of this population into a legal labour pool.
The Interior Ministry notes that removals require bilateral readmission agreements—lacking with several key source countries—and court oversight, which slows processes. It insists enforcement operations target individuals with criminal records or security risks first.
HR teams should track the April–June application window for the proposed amnesty: workers who obtain one-year provisional permits will immediately gain the right to work, potentially easing staff shortages in tourism and logistics ahead of the summer season.
