Spain: Improving migrant integration with new immigration legislation
To enhance Immigrant integration in three crucial areas—work, education, and family—the Spanish government passed a new immigration regulation.
To enhance Immigrant integration in three crucial areas—work, education, and family—the Spanish government passed a new immigration regulation. The new rule, according to Minister of Inclusion Elma Saiz, "represents a balance between the legal rigour and attention to Spain's needs and the extension and protection of migrant rights."The new law seeks to fulfil the demands of the local labour market and the migrants themselves and adjust the Spanish normative framework to the present migratory scenario in the country. After extensive consultation with NGOs, migrant employer groups, unions, autonomous communities, and local bodies, the rule conforms with EU legislation by applying community norms and transposing pending directives.
Important characteristics include:
Visas
By giving visas a distinct term, the revised wording makes the program, prerequisites, and processes more clear. All initial authorizations for visas will be valid for one year, and they will be renewed for four. Clarifying and streamlining the processes for switching from one residence status to another has also been done to alleviate irregularity issues. For instance, if you previously held temporary resident status, you will no longer need to leave the country to be eligible for long-term residency. The "job seeking" visa, which permits employment searching in specific vocations and geographical regions, now has a one-year validity period instead of the previous three months.
Residence (arraigo system)
In introducing the five new modalities of arraigo—that is, channels to obtain residency—Saiz stated, "We are the only country in the European Union that has a specific figure to regularise people day by day through residency." These channels are: 1) social, 2) socio-labor, 3) family,4) socio-educational5) Individuals who have held a residence permit within the last two years but have not renewed it.The obligatory duration of residency has been lowered from three to two years. According to the government, this new mechanism might help regularize some 300,000 people annually over the next three years.
Work
The majority of the licenses included in the new reform allow people to start working right away without specifically requesting an initial work authorization as an employee. Those who come to study are included in this, and they can work up to thirty hours a week. The migrant's absorption into society and inclusion are therefore encouraged. A special residency and work permit has been developed for seasonal activity, making it easier to hire people individually and collectively. Additionally, workers' rights are better protected since they are required to obtain written, precise information about their working conditions, stay, and other costs in a language they can understand. Additionally, from the time they depart their country until they are registered with Italy's social security system, their living circumstances and safety as workers are improved.
Education
Foreign students will be able to obtain a study stay permit for the duration of their studies, and a fast-track option will be made available for them to link with a work permit when their training or studies are complete. This is an essential new policy.Regardless of the training they are pursuing, they will be permitted to work a maximum of 30 hours a week while they are enrolled in classes. Students' rights are now better-protected thanks to the strengthening of educational institutions' duties and responsibilities.
