Business Daily – Spain's Economic Case for More Migration

BBC World Service | Hosted by Ashish Sharma | February 4, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Business Daily explores Spain’s increasingly open stance on migration in light of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s recent announcement to legalize half a million undocumented migrants. Host Ashish Sharma investigates both the economic rationale behind the government’s move and the practical realities migrants and asylum seekers face in Spain, highlighting bureaucratic obstacles, political controversies, and the vital role migrants play in Spain’s labor market.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Spain’s Legalization Initiative and Government Intent

• Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Announcement: Spain will provide a path to legal status for half a million undocumented migrants who have no criminal record and have lived in Spain for at least five months by the end of 2025.
  • Quote (Pedro Sanchez): “My country has offered a path to regulate half a million undocumented migrants, half a million people we live with every day...” [01:26]
• Purpose: The move is aimed at:
  • Filling key labor shortages in tourism, hospitality, and construction.
  • Countering a declining birthrate and an aging population.
  • Recognizing the contributions of migrants already integrated into Spanish society.

2. Migrant Stories: Motivation and Challenges

• Case Study: Zainab Stitu (from Morocco)
  • Arrived in Spain (after the Netherlands) for better opportunities and family connections.
  • Faces restrictions: “...as someone that is not legally staying here, you don’t have much opportunities as long as you don't have the legal documents.” [05:34]
  • Expresses gratitude for local NGOs like Red Íncola for support with integration and language learning. [05:34]
• Bureaucratic Hurdles:
  • Quote (Jojen Varghese, Indian migrant): “I thought no country in the world could beat my country in bureaucracy, but I think Spain beats India hands down.” [02:02, 07:24]
  • Complicated, inconsistent visa procedures and lack of clear information for skilled migrants wanting to invest or work legally. [07:37-08:56]

3. The Bureaucratic and Legal Maze for Asylum Seekers

• Insights from Ignacio Gutierrez Tapia (Spanish Commission for Refugees):
  • Multi-stage process: application, interview (delays now up to 1–2 months), documentation & prolonged waiting periods.
  • Low acceptance rate due to high evidentiary standards.
  • Quote: “The criteria is quite high and I think that that’s why the percentage is a little bit low.” [10:02]
• Host’s Framing: Despite legal reforms, red tape and delays remain a significant barrier.

4. Economic Imperatives and Political Pushback

• Economic Drivers:
  • Strong GDP growth (3.5% in last year).
  • Chronic labor shortages in key sectors, which many locals are unwilling to fill.
  • Host summarizes: “In order to keep these engines of the economy roaring, Spain wants to utilize its migrant population.” [06:38]
• Political Opposition:
  • Far-right Vox Party: stoking anti-immigrant sentiments, warning of loss of Spanish identity.
  • Partido Popular: proposing a points-based system focusing on skills and ease of assimilation. [12:08–13:07]
  • Reports of social tensions, including riots in Andalucia involving both new and established migrant communities.

5. Security, Integration, and the European Context

• Javier Zarzalejos (MEP, Partido Popular, EPP, Chair EU Committee):
  • Warns against facilitating organized crime and “weaponization” of migration.
  • Notes that while migrants boost sectors like services and tourism, relying solely on this labor isn’t a “silver bullet” for economic growth.
  • Quote: “Immigration is not just about people entering... We have seen migration is also a tool which is used in hybrid strategies, so called weaponization of migration.” [13:42]
  • Acknowledges migrants’ contributions but stresses broader policy concerns.

6. Real-World Labor Market Effects: Entrepreneur Testimony

• Mani Alam (Pakistani-Spanish restaurateur):
  • Built a hospitality business with 22 restaurants, employing a diverse staff.
  • Notes acute difficulties hiring due to paperwork and the requirement that staff cannot be hired without legal status.
  • Quote: “A lot of times we have people with good experience, with no papers... Everything goes good until... they say, ‘I have no papers.’ Obviously we can't hire them; it's illegal.” [16:40]
  • The legal process to regularize workers is lengthy—“it takes six months. How can people survive six months… without any payment?” [17:25]
  • Urges for streamlined processes so willing workers and willing employers can connect more easily.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Pedro Sanchez (Spanish PM):
  • “People who were already here, already part of our lives.” [01:34]
• Zainab Stitu (Migrant from Morocco):
  • “Spanish people are very warm with each other... I feel like home in here.” [04:49]
• Jojen Varghese (Migrant from India):
  • “If the aim of the country is to bring in migrants who can directly contribute to the growth of the economy, then they need to have people... who can actually explain their process...” [08:19]
• Ignacio Gutierrez Tapia (Spanish Commission for Refugees):
  • “It has to be very specific with all the details. So the criteria is quite high and I think that that's why the percentage is a little bit low.” [10:02]
• Javier Zarzalejos (MEP):
  • “The traffic of human beings is a big criminal industry, big criminal business.” [13:42]
  • “The growth of the Spanish economy over the last years is... very much linked to the contribution of immigrants. But... that is not the silver bullet for the economic growth.” [14:30]
• Mani Alam (Restaurateur):
  • “For me it's easy: if there is jobs and there is people to work. Where is the problem?” [17:40]
  • “A lot of Spanish people, they don’t want to work in hospitality. So you go to Pakistani, Indian, Venezuela, Latin Americana...” [17:47]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:26] – PM Pedro Sanchez’s speech on migrant regularization
• [04:08] – Interview with Zainab Stitu on migration experience
• [07:24] – Jojen Varghese compares Spanish bureaucracy to India’s
• [09:20] – Ignacio Gutierrez Tapia explains asylum procedures
• [12:08] – Political opposition and far-right response to government’s plan
• [13:42] – Javier Zarzalejos on security risks and broader EU context
• [15:33] – Entrepreneur Mani Alam on the reality of hiring in hospitality
• [17:25] – Discussion of legal obstacles for hiring migrants
• [18:45] – Closing reflections and summary of debate

Conclusion

The episode presents Spain as a nation at a crossroads: eager to welcome and regularize migrants to sustain economic growth, yet struggling with political controversy, social tensions, and deeply entrenched bureaucratic hurdles. The voices of migrants, policymakers, business owners, and NGO workers together reveal a complex landscape where urgent economic need clashes with practical, legal, and social realities.

Host Ashish Sharma encapsulates the prevailing uncertainty:
“But given how burdensome Spain’s bureaucracy has been so far for migrants and asylum seekers, many who are expected to benefit from this are understandably wary of just how quickly their status will be resolved.” [18:45]