What Spain’s migration decision means for the UK

Spain’s recent decision to grant legal status to around 500,000 undocumented migrants raises an important question for the UK: are we willing to rethink how we manage migration and integration?

Some see Spain’s move as bold. Others see it as risky. But at its heart, it is a practical response to a practical reality: people are already living, working and contributing. The government has chosen to bring them into the formal system rather than leave them in the shadows. 

This moment matters for us in the UK. Not because Spain is perfect. Not because we should copy and paste its policies. But because it shows that migration systems are political choices. They can be redesigned. 

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For nearly 15 years I’ve worked across campaigning, research and frontline refugee support, including serving as a trustee in the refugee sector. Throughout that time, one message has remained constant: the UK needs a more humane and accountable asylum system, one that allows people seeking protection to rebuild their lives including through access to work. The call has never simply been about compassion. It has been about common sense and long term outcomes. 

My doctoral research reinforced this. I examined how systems either enable or constrain people’s ability to move forward. The evidence showed that when policy locks people out of participation, the effects are profound. Confidence erodes, skills deteriorate. Communities miss out on talent and contribution. But when systems recognise agency, and create pathways to participate, people are far better positioned to rebuild their lives and integrate with dignity. 

Spain’s recent approach reflects that same logic. By granting status to people already living and working within its borders, the government is acknowledging reality and choosing to formalise it. The aim is not only humanitarian but also practical. It is bringing work into the formal economy, increasing tax revenue, and strengthening oversight. In short, it aligns policy with the lived reality of people’s lives. 

In the UK, the contrast is stark. People seeking asylum are largely banned from working while they wait for a decision, often for many years. During that time, they are expected to survive on minimal financial support. They are not allowed to use their professional skills. Doctors do not treat anyone. Engineers build nothing. Teachers teach no one. As campaigners we have long argued that this is not just harsh, it is inefficient. Preventing people from working increases public spending and delays integration. When status is eventually granted, individuals must rebuild confidence and employment histories from scratch. 

This is not an abstract policy debate for me. It is personal. I have lived experience of the asylum system. I know what enforced waiting feels like. I also know the transformative impact of being trusted to contribute. 

Spain’s announcement strengthens the case campaigners in the UK have been making: that reform is possible, and that evidence-based alternatives exist. This does not mean ignoring border integrity or public concerns. Effective governance requires trust. But trust is not built through exclusion alone. It is built through fairness, transparency and outcomes that make sense. 

We should be asking clear questions: what are the long-term financial costs of banning people from work? What does prolonged exclusion do to mental health and community cohesion? What would happen if we allowed people seeking asylum to contribute from day one? 

Across Europe, there is data to examine. Countries that enable earlier labour market access often see stronger integration outcomes. Spain’s move goes further by addressing the reality of irregular status head-on. 

The UK’s approach must remain grounded in this evidence. It must also remain grounded in lived experience. Policy is not just about numbers; it is about human capability. Migration is not a temporary anomaly. It is a structural feature of modern economies. The question is not whether it exists, but how intelligently it is managed. The debate should not be framed as compassion versus control. It should be framed as effectiveness versus inefficiency. Are we designing systems that maximise contribution and cohesion? Or systems that create dependency and delay? 

Spain has chosen to test one path. The UK does not need to mirror it exactly. But we should be willing to learn from it. 

Policymakers must look beyond short-term headlines and toward long-term national interest. If we focus on fairness, evidence and human potential, we can build an asylum system that is not only more humane, but more effective. 

That is not radical. It is pragmatic. 

Dr Allan Njanji is a refugee advocate and Big Issue Changemaker for 2026.

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