By Dinesh Giri, BARCELONA:- The Spanish government has begun granting Employment authorizations to undocumented migrants with renewable one-year periods, just months after approving a plan to grant legal status to nearly 500,000 undocumented migrants.
The Spanish government expects those who receive a residence permit with a renewable one-year period to be formally integrated into the Spanish labor market.
The Spanish government’s plan would provide residence permits with a renewable one-year period. To qualify, migrants must have lived in Spain for at least five months and show no criminal record. Applications will open by the end of June this year.
Earlier, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described the move as an act of justice and a necessity for Spain. He said it was fair and necessary, as migrants were already contributing to society and the move was necessary to support Spain’s aging population and economy.
The Prime Minister said these immigrants are essential to sustaining the economy and public services in a country with an aging population. He also said it was the right thing to do for a nation that has seen many of its citizens migrate in the past in search of better opportunities.
Meanwhile, the opposition Vox and People’s Parties have criticised the plan, saying it could encourage more illegal immigration and are trying to stop it.
Funcas, a think tank, estimates that there are around 840,000 undocumented migrants in Spain, many of them from Latin America. Spain is finalizing the plan even as European Union member states crack down on immigration and introduce border controls.