Overview
- The application window closed on June 30 with 1,174,978 submissions and the government has admitted 609,737 applicants for processing and granted them provisional residence and temporary work permits.
- Of those given provisional work rights, roughly 160,000 had already secured formal jobs by June 30 and about 11,000 full one‑year residence permits have been issued so far.
- Applicants had to show at least five months' continuous residence before Jan. 1, 2026 and a clean criminal record, and authorities have up to three months to decide each case.
- Spain faces mounting administrative strain as its online platform and offices handle far more claims than the 500,000 the government originally expected, raising risks of delays and rejected files due to missing documents or apostilles.
- The move aims to fill labour shortages in sectors such as construction, tourism, transport and care, but it has provoked strong political opposition and a legal review after the Supreme Court asked the Court of Justice of the European Union to assess whether the scheme complies with EU law.