Spain to Legalise About 300,000 Undocumented Immigrants per Year

Spain will legalise about 300,000 undocumented immigrants per year over the next three years as it seeks to expand its labour force in the face of an ageing population, Migration Minister Elma Saiz told reporters on Tuesday.

Spain, led by a leftist minority coalition government, has been largely receptive to migrants even as other European countries such as Italy and Germany seek to tighten border controls.

“Spain has to opt between being an open, prosperous country or being a closed and poor one, and we have chosen the former,” Saiz said {snip}

The reform shortens and simplifies legal and administrative procedures for work and residence permits, allowing migrants to register either as self-employed or salaried workers, and provides them with additional labour rights guarantees.

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According to a survey by 40dB for El Pais newspaper and Cadena Ser radio station conducted in October, 57% of Spaniards believe there is “too much” immigration {snip}