---
title: '24,000 Pakistanis to Benefit as Spain Opens Residency Pathway for Undocumented Migrants'
url: 'https://thediplomaticinsight.com/24000-pakistanis-benefit-spain-residency/'
author: 'News Desk'
date: '2026-06-02T12:51:45+05:00'
categories:
  - 'Diplomatic News'
  - 'Europe'
  - 'Pakistan'
---

# 24,000 Pakistanis to Benefit as Spain Opens Residency Pathway for Undocumented Migrants

**Islamabad (TDI): **More than 24,000 Pakistani nationals are expected to benefit from Spain’s migrant regularization program to grant legal residency and work permits to hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants already living in the country.

It has been welcomed by Pakistani lawmakers as a significant opportunity for overseas workers seeking legal status and employment security in Europe.

Under the program, eligible applicants who can prove they were residing in Spain before the end of 2025 and have no criminal record may receive an initial one-year residence permit, along with authorization to work legally.

Pakistani officials estimate that around 24,000 Pakistanis stand to gain from the initiative, prompting a surge in demand for documentation at Pakistan’s diplomatic missions in Spain.

Reports from Barcelona have shown long queues of applicants seeking police clearance certificates and other documents required to complete their residency applications.

The development was discussed by Pakistan’s National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, which praised Spain’s decision and described it as a valuable opening for Pakistani workers.

**Read More: [Pakistan, Italy to Fast-Track Labor Mobility and Youth Initiatives](https://thediplomaticinsight.com/pak-italy-to-fast-track-labor-mobility/)**

Committee members noted that legal migration pathways provide a safer alternative to irregular routes often exploited by human trafficking and human smuggling networks.

Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch briefed lawmakers on the extensive coordination underway among Pakistani diplomatic missions, the Ministry of Interior, the National Police Bureau and other relevant institutions to facilitate the issuance of passports, visas and police verification documents for applicants.

Committee Chairperson Hina Rabbani Khar said that as migration policies across Europe become increasingly restrictive, Pakistan must actively engage with partner countries to secure lawful economic opportunities for its citizens.

She commended Spain for creating legal avenues for migrant regularization, arguing that such measures can help protect vulnerable workers from exploitation while integrating them into formal economies.

Lawmakers also called for greater public awareness about legal migration opportunities and warned against the dangers posed by human smuggling networks.

They stressed that facilitating safe and regulated migration remains essential for protecting Pakistani workers abroad while strengthening remittance flows and international labor mobility.