Spain's leftist government announced on Tuesday its decision to grant year-long residence and work permits to approximately 25,000 migrants impacted by last year's devastating floods in the eastern part of the country, as stated by the migration ministry.
The flash floods in late October resulted in the loss of over 220 lives, engulfing people in cars and flooding underground car parks and ground floor residences in and around Valencia. It was one of the worst natural disasters in Spain's recent history, causing the destruction or damage of nearly 60,000 homes, about 105,000 cars, and over 10,000 shops, according to government reports.
These new measures, which also include the issuance of student permits, aim to assist around 25,000 migrants and their family members who resided in the affected municipalities between October 28 and November 4, the ministry clarified in a statement.
"The main goal is to protect foreigners in situations of maximum vulnerability and prevent them from falling into an illegal status," the ministry added.
Despite efforts in some European countries to tighten border controls, Spain has demonstrated openness to migrants, acknowledging their contributions, which exceed the euro zone's average. The country plans to legalize approximately 900,000 undocumented immigrants within the next three years to bolster its workforce amid an aging population.