MADRID (Reuters) – Spain’s leftist government announced on Tuesday that it would give year-long residence and work permits to about 25,000 migrants affected by last year’s deadly floods in the east of the country, the migration ministry said.
More than 220 people died due to flash floods in late October that swept away people in cars and inundated underground car parks and ground floor homes around the city of Valencia, in one of the worst natural catastrophes in Spain’s modern history.
Nearly 60,000 homes, some 105,000 cars, and over 10,000 shops were destroyed or damaged, according to government data.
The new measures, which also include issuance of student permits, are expected to benefit at least 25,000 migrants and family members who were living in one of the municipalities affected by the floods between October 28 and November 4, the ministry said in a statement.
“The main goal is to protect foreigners in situations of maximum vulnerability and prevent them from finding themselves in an illegal situation,” it added.
Spain has been largely receptive to migrants, who have contributed to strong economic growth way above the euro zone’s average, even as other European countries such as Italy and Germany seek to tighten border controls.
It plans to legalise about 900,000 undocumented immigrants over the next three years to expand its labour force in the face of an ageing population.
(Reporting by David Latona and Emma Pinedo; Editing by Aidan Lewis)
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