More than one million undocumented immigrants in Spain have applied to legalize their status under a new program to bring them into the formal labor force, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Tuesday.
Mr. Sánchez called the program a “milestone” that would help sustain the country’s aging society. The number of applicants was roughly a quarter more than the government had expected, according to government projections in April.
The program, which was announced in January, has enhanced Mr. Sánchez’ reputation among the global left because it bucked a trend of Western governments, often under pressure from the far right, of restricting immigration. In particular, it heightened a standoff between President Trump and Mr. Sánchez, who, in an essay for New York Times Opinion, portrayed his program as an antidote to policies pursued by “MAGA-style leaders.”
Mr. Sánchez and his government have described the measure as both a humane gesture to beleaguered immigrants and an essential move for Spain’s economy. Spain’s birthrate is among the lowest in Europe, with deaths outnumbering births among resident mothers since 2015.
Foreign-born workers fill labor gaps in critical economic sectors, including agriculture and tourism. More than three million people have arrived in Spain since the coronavirus pandemic — a wave that, economists and government officials say, has helped the country’s economy become one of the fastest-growing in Europe.
“Without immigration, Spain would lose 19 percent of its G.D.P. by 2050,” Mr. Sánchez said.
The program, which is expected to benefit mostly undocumented immigrants from Latin America, has drawn heavy criticism from the conservative opposition.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of the center-right People’s Party, has called the measure “inhumane, unjust and unsustainable” because it may strain Spanish infrastructure and exacerbate housing shortages. Santiago Abascal, the leader of the far-right Vox party, has described it as “an invasion,” saying it would change the character of Spanish society.
Undocumented immigrants who had lived in Spain for at least five months before the application period opened were eligible to apply for legal status.
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