Spain to grant residency and work permits to as many as 25,000 immigrants hit by Valencia floods

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The Spanish government will grant one-year residency and work permits to as many as 25,000 foreigners affected by catastrophic flash floods that hit an eastern area of the country last October.

The measure, which was approved by the Spanish cabinet yesterday, will facilitate paperwork for those now left homeless in dozens of towns affected by the floods, principally in the Valencia region.

The government has embarked on a major recovery and reconstruction effort after the 29 October disaster, which killed 227 people and destroyed countless homes and businesses.

The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration said the chaos that resulted from the flooding, which was caused by torrential rains, left many immigrants unable to meet the requirements for living, studying and working in Spain legally.

Many employers have also been left unable to comply with the bureaucracy required to hire foreign workers.

The ministry said that new one-year permits will be granted due to the “unexpected exceptional circumstances”, but noted they can and will be denied where there are concerns over public order, security or health.

In addition, foreigners who lost relatives in the floods will be permitted five years’ residency in Spain.

While governments across Europe are toughening their migration policies, Spain has been swimming against the tide and crediting migrant workers’ contribution to a year of economic growth and job creation.

Foreigners currently represent some 15.9% of the country’s registered employed population, though many more are working in the underground economy, whether picking fruits, cleaning homes or caring for the elderly.

Spain is facing a declining birth rate, and has said it needs more migrants working legally and contributing to its social security and pensions for the state to cope with the demographic shift.

While Spain has shut down several partnerships with African countries in an effort to stop irregular migration to its territory, including via dangerous Mediterranean routes, it is passing measures to legalise the status of immigrants already living in the country without permission. The majority of this population have flown into Spain legally from Latin America and overstayed their visas.