Spain to Extend Job Seeker Visa and Regularize Migrants to Address Labor Shortages
Spain has announced plans to extend the validity of its job seeker visa from three months to one year as part of efforts to address ongoing labor market demands. This change, set to be implemented next year, will provide foreign nationals with more time to search for employment in Spain, allowing them to transition more smoothly to long-term residency. The revised immigration law will allow visa holders to enter Spain to look for work and complete the necessary legal steps to stay once they secure a position.
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In addition to the visa extension, Spain plans to regularize around 300,000 undocumented migrants each year until 2027. This initiative, which will offer residence and work permits to approximately 900,000 migrants over the next three years, aims to tackle labor shortages and support the country’s economic stability. Minister of Migration Elma Saiz highlighted that this reform focuses on integrating migrants already in Spain, rather than relying on additional foreign recruitment. The streamlined process for granting residence and work permits is set to begin in May 2025.
These measures are expected to open new opportunities for migrants while helping to meet the country’s estimated need for 250,000 more workers.
