Spain showing Europe immigration not a threat

At a time when much of Europe is moving towards harsher immigration policies, Spain has taken a different path, one rooted not in fear but in pragmatism and humanity. Earlier this year, the Spanish government approved a major regularisation programme expected to grant legal status to around 500,000 undocumented migrants already living in the country.
For hundreds of thousands of people, this decision changes everything. Legal status means the ability to work formally, access healthcare, and social services, rent housing legally and build a safer and more stable future. Instead of forcing migrants into exploitative informal economies, Spain is acknowledging a simple reality: these people are already part of society. The question is whether they should continue living in insecurity or be allowed to contribute openly and securely.
Spain’s decision stands in contrast to the direction many other European countries are taking. Across the continent, immigration policy is increasingly shaped by fear-driven rhetoric and pressure from far-right movements. In France, for example, recent immigration reforms have increased residence permit fees, introduced stricter language and integration requirements, and significantly raised tuition fees for international students. These policies are framed as necessary for “integration” or “control,” but in practice, they make life more difficult for people already contributing to society.
What is often forgotten in these debates is that immigrants are not simply numbers in political speeches. They are workers, taxpayers, caregivers, teachers, doctors, engineers, delivery drivers and construction workers. Modern economies rely on them far more than many politicians are willing to admit.
Spain itself has openly acknowledged this reality. Migration Minister Elma Saiz stated in 2024 that Spain needs between 250,000 and 300,000 foreign workers per year to sustain its welfare state and labour market. Spain’s economy, currently among the fastest growing in the European Union, has benefited significantly from immigration, particularly in sectors facing labour shortages such as hospitality, healthcare, agriculture and technology. The economic argument alone should already challenge anti-immigrant narratives. Immigrants pay taxes, consume goods and services, start businesses and fill essential jobs. Many European countries face ageing populations and declining birth rates, meaning that immigration is not only beneficial but also economically necessary.
But immigration contributes more than labour. Societies are meant to be living mixtures of cultures, traditions, languages and experiences. Immigration enriches food, art, music, education and public life. European cities themselves are shaped by centuries of migration and exchange. Yet despite this history, immigrants continue to be portrayed by some politicians and media outlets as burdens or threats. One of the most common anti-immigrant arguments is that migrants “steal jobs” or overuse social services. In reality, labour laws in most European countries prioritise the hiring of local workers. Migrants often end up taking jobs that locals are unwilling or unable to do, particularly physically demanding or low-paid work. Agriculture, cleaning services, elderly care and construction across Europe rely heavily on immigrant labour. Without these workers, many sectors would struggle to function.
The idea that immigrants are responsible for economic hardship also ignores broader structural problems such as inflation, housing shortages and wage stagnation. Blaming migrants becomes an easy political distraction from failures in governance and economic management. France provides a particularly revealing example of the contradictions within European immigration debates. The country’s largest immigrant-origin population comes from North Africa, particularly Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. This demographic reality did not emerge randomly, it is deeply tied to France’s colonial history in the region.
Colonisation destroyed economies, political systems and societies across North Africa. Resources were extracted, local industries weakened and political instability entrenched over decades. In many cases, migration towards France happened not simply out of choice, but because colonial relationships created deep economic and social dependence. When people move to former colonial powers in search of opportunity or stability, it is often within a historical framework created by colonisation itself. This context is frequently ignored in modern political discourse. Immigration is discussed as though it exists separately from history, rather than as part of the long-term consequences of empire and global inequality.
What Spain is doing differently is recognising migrants not as temporary outsiders, but as part of the country’s future. Regularisation does not erase challenges related to integration or public services, but it creates stability, for migrants and for society itself. People who can work legally are less vulnerable to exploitation. Families with access to healthcare and housing are more secure. Economies become more transparent and productive. Most importantly, Spain’s approach rejects the idea that immigrants are inherently a problem to be controlled. Instead, it acknowledges that migration is a normal and necessary part of modern societies.