Spain's migrant regularisation adds over 200,000 new Social Security affiliates

An extraordinary regularisation process launched by the Spanish government has resulted in more than 159,000 foreign individuals gaining legal status and being enrolled in the Social Security system as of 30 June 2026. The nationwide figure represents roughly 2 % of all new affiliates in Spain during the period.

Regional data show the greatest impact in Andalusia, where 423,553 migrants are now affiliated, accounting for 12.3 % of the country's total workforce. Other autonomous communities report significant numbers: Catalonia 23,607 new affiliates, Castilla‑La Mancha 6,558, Galicia 7,390, Extremadura 1,531 and the province of Almería alone 3,218. The regularisation also boosts employment in sectors such as hospitality, commerce and administration, while reducing temporary‑contract rates among foreign workers to historic lows.

Overall, the Spanish Social Security system surpassed 22.5 million contributors by mid‑July, reflecting the combined effect of regularised migrants and broader labor‑market growth. The policy grants regularised migrants a one‑year residence permit, the right to formal contracts, access to pensions, unemployment benefits and health care, and enables them to open bank accounts and rent housing legally.