Foreign Hiring Increases with Regularization Process

The Spanish job market is experiencing a heating up for immigrants, directly driven by the ongoing extraordinary regularization process. Recent data confirms that the hiring of foreigners has grown at an accelerated pace over the last few months, coinciding with the implementation of this government measure aimed at an estimated contingent of more than half a million undocumented individuals.

The Impact on the Job Market

For those already living in Spain or planning to move, it's important to note the numbers: out of the 550,000 new affiliates that Social Security has added over the last 12 months, 52% are foreigners. However, this group's weight is even more significant when looking at the most recent quarter.

To get an idea of the acceleration, while in January this year foreign affiliate numbers fell by 1.5%, the trend drastically changed with the advancement of regularization measures. In February, the increase was 1.3%, jumping to 2.4% in March. Currently, foreign affiliation at Social Security has reached a record of 3.15 million jobs, occupying 15% of total positions in the country.

What Changes with the 2026 Plan

In addition to the regularization process, the year 2026 brings specific improvements for those seeking integration through international hiring programs. The current plan has introduced stricter conditions for job offers aimed at foreigners. From now on, all offers—whether generic or nominative—must include a minimum of 10 job positions.

This change aims to ensure greater structure in hiring, requiring companies that seek labor outside European borders to present more solid and voluminous job proposals.

Navigating the Current Landscape

If you are looking for an opportunity or waiting for your documentation procedures, two main points require attention:

1. Official Monitoring: Stay informed about the requirements and deadlines of the extraordinary regularization process directly through the portal of Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migrations. Avoid relying on unofficial sources to interpret rules that are constantly being updated.
2. Qualification: With increased competitiveness in the market, companies are prioritizing offers within new international hiring plans. Check if your area of expertise fits into the origin-based recruitment programs, which now require this group format of at least 10 people per offer.

This increase in hiring is not just seasonal but reflects Spain's need for labor. If you are in the regularization process, keep in mind that formalizing your contract is the definitive step towards legal and professional stability in the country.

Sources

Foreign Hiring Increases Coinciding with Regularization Process - Cadena SER Immigrants Accelerate Their Conquest of the Job Market - El Mundo This is the New 2026 Plan for Hiring Foreign Workers - Grupo 2000