Official platform data cited by Spanish media show applications for Spain’s mass regularization process far exceeded the government’s early projection of about 500,000 beneficiaries.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Spain’s mass amnesty process for illegal migrants has drawn approximately 1.3 million applications ahead of the June 30 deadline, according to Spanish media reports citing official government data.
The reported figure is far higher than the estimate given by the socialist government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at the start of the process, when officials said about 500,000 migrants were expected to benefit.
The Spanish newspaper El País reported that while the government has not formally confirmed the total, the figure aligns with data shown in Mercurio, the government platform used to register amnesty applications submitted across Spain.
“The undocumented population is difficult to measure, but the police, who have better data, have already said it would exceed 1.3 million,” María Miyar, director of Social Studies at the Spanish non-profit Funcas, told El País. “These are the applicants; the criteria applied to accept or reject them will be another matter entirely.”
Miyar said the final number of approvals will depend on how officials review the applications and apply eligibility standards.
“There will be a margin of discretion on the part of civil servants, depending on the instructions they receive,” she reportedly said.
She also noted that some applications could be based on forged documents.
“We’re not surprised by the high numbers, but there is some uncertainty regarding the final outcome,” Miyar added.
Spain’s government began receiving applications for the regularization process in mid-April. The program is designed to grant approved migrants legal resident status, work permits and other benefits.
Throughout the first months of 2026, the Sánchez administration said roughly half a million migrants would benefit from the program. Police officials had warned earlier in the year that the government’s estimate could be too low and that up to 1.35 million migrants could ultimately qualify.
Breitbart News reported in February that Spanish police officers feared the government’s 500,000 estimate would be exceeded. The new figure reported by El País closely matches those earlier warnings.
By mid-June, about 360,000 amnesty applications had been admitted and were being processed, according to estimates cited by El País. At that point, roughly 900,000 applications had reportedly been filed.
Under the government’s plan, authorities have up to three months after the application window closes to decide each case. El País reported that it is not publicly known whether Spanish authorities have rejected any applications so far.
The Spanish Migration Ministry is expected to release official statistics on the mass amnesty process during the week.
Unnamed sources told Spanish radio network SER that Sánchez may present final figures as early as Tuesday, along with a study examining the economic impact of allowing many previously ineligible migrants to obtain employment contracts.
The amnesty program has drawn political opposition in Spain and criticism from some within the European Union. Opponents have argued that the process rewards illegal migration and could strain public services, while supporters have said regularization will bring more workers into the legal economy and reduce exploitation.
The final scope of the program will depend on how many of the 1.3 million reported applications are approved after the June 30 deadline.
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