Spain Immigration Officers Call Off Strike After Amnesty Deal
MADRID — Immigration officers across Spain have called off a planned strike after reaching an agreement with the government to ease their workload and raise pay, following the country’s bold new amnesty program for undocumented migrants, according to Euro News.
The unions representing staff at immigration offices had warned that the wave of applications expected under the amnesty could overwhelm an already strained system. But after last-minute negotiations, they secured a pay increase of between 10 and 18 percent and a pledge to fill 700 vacant posts, union leader César Pérez announced on Thursday.
Spain’s government finalized the migrant amnesty earlier this week, opening the door for around half a million people living and working in the country without legal status to apply for residency and work permits. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the measure as “an act of justice and a necessity,” saying it would bring equality and accountability for all.
“We want those who live and work here to do so under the same conditions and pay taxes like everyone else,” he said on social media. “We recognize rights, but we also demand obligations.”
Under the new plan, migrants who arrived before January 1 and can prove they have been living in Spain for at least five months may apply for a one-year residency and work permit. Applications open online on Thursday and in person on April 20, according to Migration Minister Elma Saiz. Applicants must show no criminal record and verify residence through either public or private documentation.
Saiz, who praised the initiative, said the measure would strengthen Spain’s growing economy. “Our prosperity is tied to foreign workers,” she said. “They generate employment, create wealth, and help sustain our welfare system.”
Analysts estimate that as many as 800,000 people may currently live “off the grid” in Spain, many working in agriculture, tourism, and service sectors vital to the nation’s economic growth.
Spain has carried out six similar amnesties between 1986 and 2005, but this one was fast-tracked through a government decree, allowing the policymakers to bypass a divided parliament where previous attempts had stalled.
For thousands waiting in the shadows for years, this new step could turn a life of uncertainty into one of belonging.
