Petra Dvořáková: Report from the Garden of Europe: Mass legalization of migrants in Spain is a necessity

Monday, Feb 23, 2026

Spanish agriculture relies heavily on undocumented migrant labor, prompting a government decree for mass regularization amid social and economic needs.

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[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

Migrant labor significantly contributes to Spanish growth, according to major institutions like the IMF and ECB. The article describes Totana, a small town in Murcia, where agriculture is vital, and migrant workers from various countries have greatly increased the local population over fifty years. These migrants often work long hours under difficult conditions, frequently without legal status, despite their essential role in harvesting crops for European markets. While there are reports of exploitative labor practices, the Spanish government has announced a mass regularization process allowing undocumented migrants to legalize their stay by proving they have been in Spain for at least five months. This move is seen as normalizing an existing reality and addressing administrative backlogs, though some critics raise concerns about potential negative effects. Public opinion generally supports regularization, with social groups and even some employers favoring it, while political opposition raises arguments against it. Despite the positive news of legalization, migrants face anxieties regarding the application process, corruption among lawyers, and their immediate need for documentation to improve working conditions and return home.


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