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Spain to grant residency, work permits to potentially 25,000 immigrants affected by Valencia floods

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Spain to grant residency, work permits to potentially 25,000 immigrants affected by Valencia floods
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News

Spain to grant residency, work permits to potentially 25,000 immigrants affected by Valencia floods

2025-02-12 00:29 Last Updated At:00:31

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The Spanish government will grant one-year residency and work permits to potentially 25,000 foreigners affected by the catastrophic flash floods that hit the eastern part of the country last October.

The extraordinary measure, approved by the Spanish cabinet on Tuesday, is aimed at facilitating paperwork for those living irregularly in the dozens of towns affected by the floods, mainly in the region of Valencia.

It is part of the government's recovery and reconstruction plan after the Oct. 29 disaster that killed 227 people and destroyed countless homes and businesses. The news was first reported by Spanish daily El País and confirmed by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration to The Associated Press.

Chaos that ensued after flooding caused by torrential rains left many immigrants unable to abide by the requirements for living, studying and working in Spain legally, according to the ministry. Similarly, many employers have been unable to comply with the bureaucracy required to hire foreign workers.

The new one-year permits will be given due to the “unexpected exceptional circumstances,” but can be denied if there are concerns over public order, security or health, according to the ministry.

Additionally, foreigners who lost relatives in the floods will be given five-year residency.

While governments across Europe are taking tougher stances against migration, Spain has been swimming against the current and hailing migrant workers' contributions as a key factor in its economic growth and job creation last year.

Foreigners currently represent some 15,9% of the country's registered active population, though many more work in the underground economy, picking fruits, cleaning homes or caring for the elderly. Facing a declining birth rate, Spain's government has said it needs more migrants working legally and contributing to its social security and pensions.

While Spain has closed several partnerships with African countries to stop irregular migration to its territory, it is passing measures to legalize the status of immigrants already living in the country without permission. The majority of those fly into Spain legally from Latin America and overstay their visas.

Follow AP coverage of migration at: https://apnews.com/hub/migration

FILE - A man walks past stacked up cars after floods in Catarroja that left hundreds dead or missing in the Valencia region in Spain, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz, file)

FILE - A man walks past stacked up cars after floods in Catarroja that left hundreds dead or missing in the Valencia region in Spain, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz, file)

NEW YORK (AP) — Calgary forward Connor Zary was suspended two games without pay Thursday for elbowing Vancouver defenseman Elias Pettersson during the Canucks' 4-3 shootout victory over the Flames.

Zary was assessed a minor penalty for interference on the play at 11:19 of the first period Wednesday night. The suspension will cost the 23-year-old Zary $8,993 in salary.

After the 20-year-old Pettersson knocked Nazem Kadri off his skates just as Kadri unloaded the puck and crossed the blue line, Zary retaliated with a blindside hit that led to the penalty.

This story has been corrected. A previous version reported incorrectly that Pettersson scored the tying goal and a shootout goal.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Montreal Canadiens' Alexandre Carrier, right, is checked by Calgary Flames' Connor Zary during first period NHL hockey action in Calgary on Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Alexandre Carrier, right, is checked by Calgary Flames' Connor Zary during first period NHL hockey action in Calgary on Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

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