Spain’s migration policy is “almost like a state policy”, focused on integration, coexistence and recognising the positive contribution of migrants, the country’s migration minister Elma Saiz told Euronews.
While much of Europe is hardening its stance on migration, Spain, under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s leadership, is taking a very different approach.
“Spain was once a country of migrants. Today it is a country of opportunities,” Saiz said during an interview for Euronews’ interview programme 12 Minutes With, stressing migration is a key factor in the country’s economic and social development.
At the centre of its current migration policy is a regularisation process that could grant legal status to more than 500,000 people already living in the country, a measure approved earlier this year.
“These are people who are already among us. The issue is that they currently have neither rights nor obligations,” she said. To be eligible, undocumented people must have been living in Spain for at least five months, or have asked for asylum before the end of 2025.
Regarding the scepticism among a segment of the population about the capacity of public services to provide care for all those people without the system collapsing, she argued that “it is extremely important that public services are strengthened in line with the population they are meant to serve”
Saiz highlighted that the initiative paving the way for hundreds of thousands of immigrants living and working without authorisation in the country to apply for legal status is backed by strong public support.
The programme originated from a citizen-led legislative proposal signed by more than 700,000 people and supported by hundreds of civil society organisations, employers’ groups and institutions.
Damaging relations?
The European Commission, as well as several member states, have expressed certain reservations about the plan, especially due to its potential effects within the Schengen area. One of the main concerns is that some people would try to take up residence in other EU countries without permission.
But Saiz insisted that the measure fully respects the rules of the European Union, including the Schengen system.
She explained that regularisation falls within national sovereignty, as it concerns people already residing in Spain and working within its economy.
“We are talking about something that falls, as European representatives have rightly said, under the sovereignty and decision-making of our country, because it is here that they will be able to work and live,” the minister said.
The Spanish government’s plan does not mean that newly documented individuals can freely move to other EU countries on a one-year work permit. They will be able to reside and work solely in Spain.
A different path in Europe
The decision regarding this mass regularisation was also made without consulting European partners, something Sánchez was criticised for. Many in Brussels worry it could conflict with the European Union’s current policy of tightening migration rules.
Saiz argued that Spain is offering an alternative model based on “regular, orderly and safe” migration.
She described Spain’s policy as an international reference point, noting that irregular arrivals have decreased significantly in recent years, particularly along routes such as the Canary Islands.
According to the minister, this demonstrates that a humanitarian approach can coexist with effective migration management.
Saiz also argued that migration policy should be guided by evidence and long-term thinking rather than political pressure, presenting Spain’s approach as both pragmatic and principled in a changing European landscape.
“I would like to recall that more than 40% of the jobs created since the labour reform have been taken by foreign workers, who are increasingly joining more highly qualified sectors,” the minister said.
At the same time, she pointed to progress at the EU level, including the Migration and Asylum pact agreed during Spain’s presidency of the Council of the EU, which she said reflects a shared commitment to coordinated solutions.
Spain’s broader international stance
Beyond migration, Saiz framed Spain’s position as part of a wider effort to play a more active role internationally, promoting multilateralism and adherence to international law.
“Our position is essentially about being consistent with the values that have taken all of us a great deal of effort to achieve, and which are precisely what sustains the European Union,” she said.
This has sometimes led to differences with leaders such as US President Donald Trump, particularly on global policy issues.
Spain has rejected the demands of some NATO allies to increase military spending up to 5% of GDP, maintaining that its current defence commitments are appropriate and aligned with agreed collective objectives within the alliance.
President Trump has sharply criticised Spain’s position on this, describing its efforts as insufficient. Washington has also lashed out at Madrid for its criticism of the US attacks on Iran.
These tensions have led to the Trump administration threatening to cut off trade ties with Spain and to suspend Spain’s NATO membership.
However, the minister emphasised that Spain remains a “reliable partner” with strong ties to the US.