Translated from NOS.nl Dutch news <https://nos.nl/l/2545140>

Spain will grant residence permits to nearly a million illegal migrants over the next three years, Spanish Immigration Minister Saiz announced. This amounts to 300,000 people per year in 2025, 2026 and 2027.

The measure is intended to increase the working population. The Spanish economy is the fastest in the European Union. But the population is ageing, which means that there are major staff shortages in many sectors.

“Spain can be an open, prosperous country or a closed, poor country. We have chosen the former,” says Saiz.

With the decision to choose the left-wing government coalition in Spain for a completely different policy and many other European examples. For example, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands are also striving for a stronger immigration policy.

Welfare state
Between January 1 and September 1 of this year, 42,000 asylum seekers arrived in Spain, comparable to the recent number of the Ministry of the Interior. Most asylum seekers complete the dangerous crossing to the Canary Islands from the uncertainties of Africa.

Not all migrants come from African countries. A large proportion of asylum seekers come from Venezuela and Colombia.

According to the minister, Spain needs around 250,000 to 300,000 foreign workers per year who pay taxes, in order to keep the welfare state afloat. The Spanish central bank calculated that a total of 25 million immigrants will be needed over the next thirty years.

Procedures simplified
The reform also simplifies the procedures for living and working in Spain. Anyone who comes to the country with a special visa to find a job will immediately be given a year to do so instead of three months. Foreign students are immediately allowed to work up to 30 hours a week with their visa in addition to their studies.

In recent years, relatively many highly educated migrants from South American countries have come to Spain legally to work.