Spain’s scheme drew over 1 million applications for one year renewable residence and work permits. Critics like Meloni pushed for action against such regularizations while running similar programs at home.
Italy, Germany and other countries that accused Spain of attracting migrants with its amnesty scheme have also quietly legalised the status of people who arrived irregularly in their own territory. https://t.co/qyXCOjNgWL pic.twitter.com/6xxCGBWCJ7
— Financial Times (@FT) August 4, 2026
Spain’s amnesty deadline hit in late June with applications more than double the expected 500,000.
Hundreds of thousands already got provisional permits and joined the social security system.
Italy keeps raising work visa quotas for non EU workers into 2028.
Germany’s tolerated status path gave more stable papers to people who could not be deported.
EU leaders keep pushing stricter border rules while some still run domestic regularizations.
Irish Times — August 4 2026
Italy and Germany’s censure of Spain’s migrant amnesty is ‘hypocritical’
https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2026/08/04/italy-and-germanys-censure-of-spains-migrant-amnesty-is-hypocritical/
Telegraph — June 29 2026
Spain triggers largest migrant amnesty in European history with over 1 million applications
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/29/spain-triggers-largest-migrant-amnesty-in-european-history/