Year 2023
The Annual Policy Report 2023 of the Spanish National Contact Point for the European Migration Network (EMN) presents the main developments on migration in Spain in 2023.
The Spanish National Contact Point compiled the monitoring information from official resources and assigned reporting responsibility to the Spanish reporting responsibility to the authorities in charge of each area. Participants within the report included the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Ministry of Justice. This Annual Report on Migration and Asylum is the second part of the reporting. It is addressed in the first instance to the national public in the first instance. The key findings of the first part of the reporting process are included in this report.
The European Migration Migration Network also publishes a separate statistical review, i.e, key figures on immigration in 2023. The structure and headings of the report are based on a template that was jointly agreed by the EMN.
Year 2022
The Annual Report on Migration and Asylum 2022 provides an overview of migration and asylum-related developments and debates in Spain between January and December 2022. In 2022, the war in Ukraine was the defining issue, necessitating new regulations (for example, the Regulation on Displaced Persons) or the adaptation of existing systems (for example, in the area of integration). Furthermore, a comprehensive reform of the relevant legal foundations brought about changes and facilitations in labour migration, among other things, and measures were taken to address the shortage of skilled workers in Spain. In addition, the high number of applications for international protection and the reaching of capacity limits in basic care played an important role, especially in media reporting.
Year 2021
As the most important points to highlight in the Migration and Asylum Report of the year 2021, we can point out that, through Royal Decree 903/2021, the legal regime of minors under guardianship when they reach legal age of majority has been modified, in order to avoid the situation of supervening irregularity and social exclusion and to favor their integration. The final objective of the reform is to promote inclusion and reduce the vulnerability of these people.
On the other hand, the Migration Budget for 2022 increases by 17%. It strengthens the state reception network and reinforces actions devoted to the development of legal pathways. Furthermore, a big effort will be made in terms of digitalization.
Finally, the National Strategic Plan against human trafficking 2021-2023 (PENTRA) has been approved. This Strategic Plan is the first comprehensive tool in Spain to address all forms of human trafficking.
Year 2020
This report collects the main actions carried out by Spain in the migration field, which were influenced by the COVID-19 outbreak. Different measures were adopted to avoid the supervening irregularity of migrants who were already in Spain as workers, tourists, residents, or students. Other measures were implemented to adapt to new labour market needs (agricultural or health sector) which was very affected by the mobility restrictions. Also, certain actions were carried out in reception centers, border control, detention centers or development cooperation.
Year 2019
Spain had a government in office during most of 2019, thus the General State Budgets could not be approved and those for 2018 had to be extended. Given these circumstances, the government could not endorse draft laws or political projects related to migration. Despite this, the government promoted certain strands of migration policy such as the migratory flows management, cooperation with countries of origin and destination, and integration. Consequently, a new Order was approved to regulate the management of recruitment in countries of origin and the development of the visa project for descendants of Spaniards in Argentina. Moreover, the project “Young generations as change agents” was developed in cooperation with Morocco.
Year 2018
With the new government in June 2018, the migration policy approach was based in 5 basic pillars: 1) an orderly, regular, and safe migration; 2) fight against irregular migration; 3) ensure humanitarian assistance to newcomers; 4) promote a European policy on asylum and migration, including collaboration with countries of origin, transit, and destination; and 5) integration of immigrants and refugees. At the multilateral level, Spain supported the Global Compact for Orderly, Safe and Regular Migration and worked on the achievement of its objectives.
Year 2017
During 2017, there was no relevant regulatory changes due to the lack of agreements at parliamentary level. However, progress has been made in the implementation of public policies and cooperation with countries of origin and transit. Among the highlights of this year, it is worth mentioning the Spanish negotiations of the Blue Card Directive and the transposition of the Directive for students and researchers as mechanisms to promote foreigners’ intra-European mobility. Also, during 2017, Spain worked in the pilot projects of legal migration promoted by the European Commission, positioning itself in favour of fostering circular migration for labour purposes, training, or entrepreneurship in the fields of interest to the countries of origin.