1.2 million regularization applications: 67% from South America

67% of regularization applications come from South Americans: migration policy or electoral patch?

The figure is striking: of the 1.2 million applications submitted to Spain's extraordinary regularization process, two out of three come from citizens of South American countries. The data, which has circulated in media and social networks, opens the debate on the real effects of a measure the Government presented as an administrative and humanitarian solution.

A massive process and its make-up

Official figures show that most applicants come from Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador. Colombian nationality tops the list, trinc by Venezuelans who, in many cases, were already living in Spain in an irregular status. The typical profile is young, of working age and with precarious jobs in sectors such as hospitality, agriculture and domestic work. Regularization, at least on paper, allows them access to a formal contract, Social Security and public healthcare.

Criticism and shadows over the process

However, not everything is applause. Among the most skeptical analyses, it is pointed out that the open deadline coincided with a rise in irregular arrivals, and that the system has not been able to thoroughly verify the documentation submitted in every case. Some media outlets have linked people under investigation for crimes —such as the so-called Vatican gang— to the regularization, fueling the perception that the loopholes are wide open. The official argument, that the measure reduces the shadow economy and labor exploitation, has defenders and detractors. Those who question it argue that it encourages future irregular immigration and that public resources are being spent on procedures of dubious effectiveness.

Electoral impact or structural solution?

The process took place in a tense political context, with the Government in a minority and in need of parliamentary support. Mass regularization is seen by some as a gesture toward the migrant community and their countries of origin, and by others as an electoralist move aimed at expanding the base of potential voters. The reality is that, once the deadline closed, the number of applicants is double the initial forecasts, which raises questions about the administrative capacity to handle the requests without collapsing the courts and the immigration offices (extranjería).

The debate remains open

With 1.2 million applications on the table, the question is whether Spain is prepared to absorb this population into the formal labor market. Available data suggest that most will find work, but often in precarious conditions. The real test will come when the files are resolved and it becomes clear whether regularization effectively reduces the shadow economy or, on the contrary, becomes yet another episode in a migration policy that no one has quite managed to design for the long term. What seems clear is that the 67% South American share is no anecdote: it is a snapshot of a migratory flow that will not stop.