Spain Issues Over 600,000 Temporary Work Permits Under Fast-Track Regularisation Drive
Spain’s mass-regularisation grants 609,000 undocumented migrants immediate work permits
Airlines and airports urge Brussels to let Spain suspend new biometric border checks during summer rush
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Ryanair Warns of ‘Queue Chaos’ at Spanish Airports as EU Biometric Checks Begin
Ryanair, backed by European airline and airport associations, says Spanish holiday hubs are unprepared for the EU’s new biometric Entry/Exit System and could face ‘queue chaos’ from 10 July. Travellers through Tenerife South, Palma, Alicante and Málaga may encounter multi-hour waits unless Brussels allows a summer suspension, with potential knock-on effects for business itineraries and connecting flights.
Ryanair warns of ‘queue chaos’ at Spanish holiday airports as Entry/Exit System bites
Ryanair lists four Spanish airports as already suffering long EES-related queues and calls for the new fingerprint system to be paused until after the summer peak. Spain’s tourism hotspots risk reputational and financial damage, and corporates should adjust routing and buffer times.
European Airlines and Airports Formally Ask Brussels to Let Spain Suspend EES During Peak Months
A4E, ACI Europe and other industry groups have formally asked the European Commission to let member states—including Spain—switch off the new biometric Entry/Exit System whenever border queues become unmanageable during July and August. Spain’s Interior Ministry is drafting a contingency plan, but for now the Commission insists EES will go live on 10 July.
Spanish tech sector’s 78 % vacancy rate reignites debate on importing digital talent
A ManpowerGroup study published 2 July finds that nearly eight in ten Spanish tech firms face hiring gaps, intensifying calls for easier visas and faster residence permits for digital specialists. Employers are lobbying for an express tech-visa route, while current digital-nomad and highly-qualified permits are criticised as slow and inconsistent.
Foreign Workforce Drives Spain to Record 22.46 Million Social-Security Affiliations in June
Spain added a record 128,533 jobs in June, lifting total social-security affiliation to 22.46 million. Foreign workers supplied two-thirds of the growth, reflecting seasonal tourism demand and the influx of newly regularised migrants. The data underscore the economy’s dependence on international labour and signal tighter housing markets in tourist regions.
Spain’s Supreme Court May Ask EU Judges to Rule on Massive Migrant Amnesty
Spain’s Supreme Court is weighing whether to refer the government’s mass migrant regularisation decree to the EU Court of Justice, arguing that aspects of the scheme may breach Schengen and Migration-Pact rules. A referral would not halt the process immediately but could delay decisions and complicate renewals for more than one million applicants – and the companies that plan to hire them.
Government Faces Three-Month Sprint to Process One Million Regularisation Files
Prime Minister Sánchez confirmed that more than one million undocumented migrants applied for Spain’s extraordinary regularisation before the 30 June deadline. Immigration offices now have exactly three months to issue decisions, prompting a major staffing and technology push. Employers could access new talent as early as October, but must prepare for compliance checks and possible last-minute refusals.
Airports and Airlines Urge Brussels to Allow Suspension of EU Entry/Exit System During Peak Summer
In an open letter dated 1 July, ACI Europe, A4E and IATA asked the European Commission to let Member States pause the biometric Entry/Exit System during peak periods, citing border waits of up to five hours that are already affecting Spanish hubs. Companies should expect continued delays for non-EU travellers over the summer and consider longer lay-overs or fast-track options.
Irregular Arrivals to Spain Down 32 % in First Half of 2026
Spain recorded 12,138 irregular arrivals in H1 2026, down by almost a third year-on-year, thanks mainly to a 67 % fall in Canary Islands landings. While sea routes quietened, land entries into Ceuta surged, hinting at shifting migrant tactics. The trends ease pressure on Atlantic transport corridors but could stretch border resources in North Africa.
Government Sets Up Dedicated Migration Task-Forces for Ceuta, Melilla, Canaries and Balearics
Madrid will establish two inter-agency task forces to manage migration and border pressures in Ceuta, Melilla, the Canary Islands and the Balearics. The initiative includes almost 1,000 extra civil-service posts and promises faster document handling at overstretched Foreigners’ Offices – good news for employers that depend on seasonal and foreign labour in Spain’s island territories.