Following immigration reform last year, new Ministry figures have revealed that applications for Spain’s work and residency permits have increased by almost half since the law came into force.
Applications for work and residency permits in Spain have surged by almost 50 percent following immigration reforms passed last year.
Applications to live and work in Spain rose from 495,000 in the period between January 1 and May 20, when the new Immigration Law came into force, to 724,000 between then and October 31 — an increase of 46.2 percent.
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This is according to a recent statement outlining the figures from Spain’s Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration on the anniversary of the reforms passed in November 2024.
The application data gives a clear indication of the effect the changes have had so far, suggesting the bolstered legislation has caused an uptick in applications.
The law expanded types of work and residency visas and, according to the Ministry: “The new Immigration Law has made it much easier to combine salaried employment and self-employment, and to plan and manage circular migration.”
During this same five-month period, 95,000 people regularised their status through the widened arraigo process thanks to the reduction in processing times and expansion of categories.
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In the first five months of the year, more than 32,000 applications for study residence permits were submitted, while from that date until October 31, 93,000 applications were submitted, clear evidence that the 2024 reforms have eased the application process and enticed many more potential applicants.
The new legislation also expanded five types of arraigo, defining and creating new categories: the so-called ‘second chance’ permit, as well as socio-occupational, social, socio-educational, and family arrangements.
The new immigration regulations also incorporated changes for residence and work permits for seasonal activities, which now offer four years of validity, allowing a maximum period of nine months of work per year and aligning with the Seasonal Workers Directive.
This comes as migrants have contributed almost all of Spain’s population growth in recent years and Spain has sought international agreements to stem the flow of illegal and dangerous migrant routes and offer seasonal work schemes.
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The population increased by 105,488 people in the third quarter of this year and stood at 49.44 million inhabitants as of October 1st, 2025, according to new data published by Spain’s national stats body.
Despite immigration becoming a politically polarising issue in Spain, like around much of Europe, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is one of the continent’s few leaders willing to make the positive case for immigration, tying it to long-term economic stability.
A study by the Bank of Spain last year estimated that the country will need 25 million more immigrant workers by 2053 in order to combat demographic ageing and maintain the country’s pension system for a generation of baby boomer Spaniards set to retire.
READ ALSO: Spain’s population keeps increasing due to immigration
