this post was submitted on 29 Jan 2026
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As countries on both sides of the Atlantic ramp up deportations of undocumented migrants, Spain’s left-wing government is preparing to give legal status to hundreds of thousands of irregular workers. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has championed the amnesty as a way to not only give informal workers legal protections, but to also bring more money into a social security system increasingly under stress by the country's ageing population.

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[–] supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 44 points 5 days ago (1 children)

At a minimum you can't really go on about how an aging population demands more austerity if you aren't in support of something like this.

[–] shaytan@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 day ago

They are chocking the younger population in taxes, to earn 2000€ a month the company would need to pay about 4000€, and for that the company would need to get at least 5000+€ (to account for taxes for their products and services. And then after that they'd need to make profit if they can).

I'd call that chocking the younger population, specially now that 2000€ would be the bare minimum to live in bigger cities without having to share a place to live. And most people in random cities spend 100€ on electricity, 500-700 on renting, 250 for food per person, expensive gas prices, etc.

If they won't lower the taxes, no matter how many immigrants they bring, the younger population cant save up, build infrastructure and companies, or anything for the matter, so the country won't prosper.

[–] GarboDog@lemmy.world 9 points 4 days ago

We’re an irregular immigrant unable to return to our original country safely and our student visa ran out sadly. Very happy this is being passed. So many homeless people around just wanting to work along with us. We’ve been working under the table and have been wanting to pay taxes and contribute. Can’t believe we’re saying this but can’t wait to work again especially in a country that cares about its people.

[–] shaytan@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 5 days ago (2 children)

I'd love if this worked to bring more revenue, but there's no room for unskilled labor in Spain with the current (high) unemployment rate. This regulatory change acts like a call to even more immigrants to come in. And as in all of history, the higher the unemployment, the easiest it is for employers to exploit workers

Also, unskilled immigration specially from African countries is overall a net loss for the country, tax wise. I'd love if it wasn't like this, but a government can't claim to be socialist while flooding an already flooded work market and housing market with half a million immigrants just like that.

Again, I'm the first that'd be happy if this was even remotely useful to increase our quality of life, but it just isn't, it puts more stressed on a country that's hanging on a very thin edge.

[–] Evolushan@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Spain’s independent fiscal authority (AIReF) estimates that in 2017 non‑European immigrants had a positive net annual fiscal contribution of about €4,200, mainly because they’re younger and draw fewer pensions in the short run.

Also, the ‘half a million’ you mention is being discussed as a régularisation, not necessarily 500k new arrivals overnight.

Finally, if you have a source that shows ‘unskilled African immigration is a net tax loss in Spain’ (with definitions and data), share it...

[–] shaytan@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

This? from 2006? I'd consider this very much a different kind of immigration to the one we have now, It was two decades ago

https://www.airef.es/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Opini%C3%B3n_sobre_la_sostenibilidad_de_las_AAPP_largo_plazo/BOX-5.-Fiscal-Impact-of-Immigration.pdf

also feel free to check what I answered in the comments to another user justifying my initial comment with sources and such

[–] supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 5 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Also, unskilled immigration specially from African countries is overall a net loss for the country, tax wise. I'd love if it wasn't like this, but a government can't claim to be socialist while flooding an already flooded work market and housing market with half a million immigrants just like that.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence

[–] shaytan@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Before I give you mixed spanish sources, this is one of the best european made analysis on the topic of Immigration net revenue or loss by country (from the netherlands)

https://docs.iza.org/dp17569.pdf

Now these are spanish sources:

for example, africans in this graph only reach superior education or university 10% of the times, where locals are at 48.9% and latin american immigration at 31.5%, europeans at 28,8%, asians at 26%, and so on

Now, regarding work, just bellow that table on the same source, we can see the "activity rate" (so people that are either working or doing something towards it), locals 87%, average sits around 83%, africans are at 69%. For ocupation (which means they are actively working) 51%, while immigration from asia, europe, and locals sit above 70% points at all times, locals are at 80%.

For a final unemployment rate statistic of 8% for locals, 16% for second generation immigrants, and 25% for current generation immigrants (from africa)

(source: 4ºtrimester 2024 INE (national institute of statistics of spain))

You also have this study specifically on net tax win/loss, with sources at the bottom of it

https://fundaciondisenso.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/20250024_InformeXXIX-1.pdf

And again, I don't have any problems with immigration, but studies exist from a reason, and they are clear as water, I'd love for every person to have a chance to educate themselves, have a good job, start their life and so on. But that can't be at the expense of the people already at the country they are moving to.

[–] Surenho@beehaw.org 0 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Hi. Thanks for bringing the data. I found this source that talks about low skilled immigrants impact reanalysed in US but might extrapolate to other cases. Suggests that they are actually a net positive but of course it is debatable. That said, it is quite sad that nationalism and individualism became so standard around the west. Africa and Latin America have historically been the backyard to do what the imperial west pleases for ages. A bit of solidarity does not hurt, and the impact on quality of life that this has for immigrants is never considered in the total positive, just "the economy". We're worse off bc of super rich parasites. Let's stop this reverse robin hood.

[–] shaytan@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I bring the data saying some countries bring immigrants who represent a net loss

Then you say the study you read "suggests" the opposite is true.

And while I repeatedly said first gen immigrants (from years and years ago), have way better statistics, not discriminating them by their race,, you still point me out as using this data to discriminate. I specially pointed out latin americans have integrated really well in the country, getting almost to the same stats as locals, which is awesome, and I think immigration is good if that people integrate and assimilate, otherwise it just isn't working man. Doesn't have anything to do with nationalism individualism or anythingism, just logic and being fair.