The government of Spain has introduced new changes to the Immigration Regulations to make the process of entry and residence for non-EU migrants in the country easier.
The new changes, which entered into force today, May 20, aim to make the system more flexible and regularise about 300,000 migrants each year, according to Schengen.News reports.
However, according to a report from El Nuevo Siglo, concerns have been raised among NGOs regarding a potential problem for rejected asylum seekers.
In this regard, the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, said the new regulations aim to simplify and streamline procedures, thus avoiding excessive submission of documents of those submitted via inappropriate means as well as the double checking of the same requirements, and reduce waiting times.
The new changes aim to improve the way that different types of permits are defined, therefore helping migrant workers understand more clearly their rights, and explaining better how people and their families can change or update their immigration status.
5 Official Settlement Schemes for Migrants Under New Changes
Based on the new changes, at present, there are five official settlement schemes for migrants:
- Social
- Socio-educational
- Work-related
- Family-related
- Family-based and a second-chance option
Among the most significant changes is that in order to qualify, people only need to live in Spain for two years instead of three. The rules are also more flexible regarding the type of work people can do. For example, migrants are now permitted to work as employees or be self-employed from the very beginning.
A new residence and work permit has also been created, which is designed to make it easier to hire foreign workers.
Following the new regulation, students will be permitted to work for up to 30 hours per week in jobs that are not related to their degree program. In addition, their residency for study purposes will be valid for the duration of their academic program.
Concerns Among Migrant Organisations
The new changes announced by the government of Spain have sparked concerns among migrant organisations.
According to a report from Murcia Today, groups such as Caritas, CEAR, and Jesuit Migrant Service took legal action by filing an appeal with the Supreme Court.
They argued that the new changes don’t permit people who are waiting for a decision on their asylum claim to count that time when applying for a residence permit, in case their asylum request is denied.
According to these groups, the new changes could negatively affect the rights of applicants for international protection.