Over the last seven months, there have been several significant amendments to Spanish immigration law. The Spanish government’s measures aim to provide companies and professionals a competitive framework to attract talent and innovation to Spain.
In July 2022, the Spanish government approved the reform of the Immigration Regulation,1 introducing changes in several areas including authorising work for students, and creating a new unit, “UTEX” (Unidad Técnica de Extranjería), to simplify criteria in over 52 immigration offices in Spain and reduce the delays in administrative procedures.
In December, the Start-ups Law2 introduced the teleworking visa3 (“digital nomad” visa) and incorporated changes in the other most common immigration procedures: for highly skilled professionals, intra-company movements, entrepreneurs, and the so-called “Golden Visa” (for prior coverage, see GMS Flash Alert 2023-17, 23 January 2023).
The Democratic Memory Law or the new Grandson Law (Ley de Memoria Democrática or Ley de Nietos)4 came into effect in October 2022, offering the possibility of Spanish citizenship for descendants of Spanish nationals who fled from the civil war or during the dictatorship (for related coverage, see GMS Flash Alert 2022-196, 27 October 2022). This measure has an important effect especially in Iberoamerica.5 Another agreement with Argentina will come into force in February 2023, offering the “working holiday visa.”6
Lastly, the Spanish authorities now require a digital certificate beginning in February for signing immigration application forms (Ley 39/2015, de 1 de octubre, del Procedimiento Administrativo Común de las Administraciones Públicas).