As Spain’s neighbors close their borders, Sanchez talks up the benefits of immigration

As other European governments have shut their borders against newcomers, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday outlined steps to facilitate immigration and boost the country’s economy.

In what was once the center of the European Union’s Schengen open travel zone, Germany, Slovakia, and Hungary have reinstated temporary border controls in an effort to halt undocumented immigration. Italy intends to establish detention centers for migrants apprehended at sea in Albania, a non-EU country, while France says it is contemplating taking similar action.

“(Immigration is) not just a question of humanitarianism…, it’s also necessary for the prosperity of our economy and the sustainability of the welfare state,” Sanchez stated in an address to parliament. “The key is in managing it well.”

Through a number of initiatives, including as recognizing academic credentials for temporary workers, streamlining contracts as part of a new labor migration program, and cutting down on red tape for residence applications, Spain will seek to facilitate immigration, according to Sanchez.

Due in part to a surge of qualified immigrants from Latin America who have filled labor shortages in industries like technology and hospitality, Spain’s economy is expanding at the quickest rate in the EU.

The leader of Spain’s Socialist party, Sanchez, claimed that immigrants with low skill levels who took on “invisible jobs” boosted the country’s GDP. He asserted that industries like building, farming, and hospitality would fail without them.

In other parts of the 27-nation European Union, attitudes toward immigration have become more negative, and support for conservative and far-right parties calling for more regulations is on the rise.

17 EU members states urged the European Commission last week to tighten EU regulations on sending undocumented immigrants back to their home countries ahead of a conference that takes place next week.

According to Sanchez, Spain would urge the European Commission to push forward the introduction of a migration agreement by one year, until 2025, which would require EU member states to divide up the distribution of migrants and asylum seekers according to a number of factors, including GDP and population.

A GROWTH IN ANTI-IMMIGRANT FEELING IN SPAIN

Nonetheless, there is growing anti-immigrant sentiment even in Spain. According to a recent El Pais newspaper poll, 57% of respondents felt there were too many immigrants in the nation.

Based on similar perspectives, support for far-right parties has increased recently to 15.4%, according to another El Pais poll.

According to far-right leader Santiago Abascal, immigration is putting a pressure on social services and increasing violent crime.

“They tell us that there is a need for immigrant labor, but they hide from us that young Spanish workers often have to leave Spain to make ends meet,” Abascal stated.

Even while Spain’s unemployment rate is at its lowest point since 2008, it’s still among the highest across the continent, particularly for young people.

According to Sanchez, just 6 percent of migrants reach Spain illegally; the majority travel there by boat from West Africa via the Canary Islands. According to data from the Interior Ministry, in the first nine months of 2024, some 30,808 migrants landed in the Canaries by sea in rickety fishing boats; this is more than twice as many as in the same period previous year.

He rejected a suggestion to expand maritime monitoring and urged political rivals to engage in negotiations about dividing the cost of receiving unaccompanied youngsters among Spain’s autonomous regions.

“The right wants the navy to stop helping shipwrecks and dedicate itself to sinking them,” Sanchez stated. “Sending frigates against boats is just that.”

However, Sanchez was criticized by Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the head of the conservative opposition People’s Party, for his inaction regarding the migratory crisis in the Canary Islands.

“The absence of a migration policy is the cruellest of all. Every boat that sails towards Spain, risking lives, is an indication of your government’s shortcomings,” he declared.