MADRID — Spanish government officials announced Thursday that 609,737 undocumented migrants who applied for legal status through the country’s recent amnesty program have been issued temporary work permits, allowing them to enter the formal workforce while their applications are being processed.
The program, which ran from April 16 through June 30, offers a one-year renewable residence permit to undocumented migrants who can show they lived in Spain for at least five months before the close of 2025 and have no criminal history.
Officials from the Secretary of State for Migration and the Secretary of State for Social Security — Pilar Cancela and Borja Suárez, respectively — shared additional details about the program’s results on Thursday.
The total number of applications came in at more than 1.17 million, which is more than double the government’s original projection of 500,000. The majority of those applications came from migrants with roots in Latin American countries.
Of the roughly 610,000 people who have received temporary work authorization so far, approximately 160,000 had already secured jobs in the formal economy as of June 30. Additionally, 11,000 applicants have been fully approved and issued their one-year residence permits.
The Spanish government is also working alongside businesses in the construction, tourism, transportation, and caregiving industries to connect migrants with available job opportunities.
Demographic data released by officials shows that around 81% of the undocumented migrants who applied are under the age of 45, and 57% of all applicants are male.
