Author: SenValos

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Extraordinary regularization 2026: SenValos supports 496 people and already records 247 admissions for processing

The extraordinary regularization process for migrants carried out in Spain between 16 April and 30 June 2026 has been one of the most significant administrative and social processes in recent years. During this period, the NGO SenValos supported 496 people so that they could prepare, review and submit their regularization applications.

As of the publication of this report, SenValos has recorded 247 applications admitted for processing, equivalent to 49.8% of the people assisted.

This result demonstrates the importance of the support provided by social organizations, but it also marks the beginning of a new phase. Admission for processing is not yet the final decision on the case. From now on, it will be necessary to respond to requests, provide documentation, review notifications and support each person until a decision is made and, where applicable, they obtain their Foreigner Identity Card.

What did the extraordinary regularization of 2026 involve?

Royal Decree 316/2026 created two extraordinary routes aimed mainly at:

  • people who were in Spain in an irregular administrative situation;
  • people applying for or who had previously applied for international protection;
  • families with minor sons and daughters;
  • people with employment links;
  • people in documented situations of vulnerability.

One of the fundamental requirements was to be in Spain before 1 January 2026 and, as a general rule, to prove a minimum of five months of continuous residence when submitting the application. The application period ended on 30 June 2026.

The notice that processing has started provisionally authorizes applicants to reside and work, as employees or self-employed workers, while the procedure is being resolved. This authorization is one of the main positive effects of the regularization, because it allows people to join the labor market legally without having to wait for the final decision.

SenValos’s report: 496 people supported

SenValos’s work was not limited to submitting forms. Each case required an analysis of personal and family circumstances, checking the appropriate route and gathering documents that, in many cases, came from different countries.

The actions carried out included:

  • legal information and guidance;
  • checking the access requirements;
  • reviewing passports and identity documents;
  • gathering evidence of residence in Spain;
  • processing criminal-record certificates;
  • documenting family units;
  • preparing applications for minors;
  • completing and reviewing forms;
  • electronic or in-person submission;
  • monitoring notifications;
  • responding to requests for additional information;
  • coordination with public administrations, companies and social services.

The 247 applications admitted for processing recorded to date represent a significant result, but they must be interpreted correctly.

Admission for processing means that the Administration has formally begun examining the application. It does not yet amount to a final approval. Likewise, the remaining people assisted should not automatically be considered rejected: some cases may still be awaiting review, notification, correction of deficiencies or entry into the monitoring system.

What is the profile of the people assisted?

Based on the profile observed in the monitoring database and its extrapolation to the total of 496 people, SenValos’s work would have reached approximately:

  • 261 women;
  • 235 men;
  • 88 children and adolescents;
  • 383 people aged between 18 and 64;
  • 431 people from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Most of the people assisted are of working age. There is also a significant presence of families with minors, for whom regularization means greater administrative, educational and residential stability.

An intervention connected to a nationwide process

SenValos’s work took place within a large-scale extraordinary process.

According to data published by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration on 2 July 2026, 1,174,978 applications were registered in Spain, of which 609,737 had already been processed by the end of the application period. Some 79.6% concerned the extraordinary roots-based route and 20.4% the route linked to international protection.

The Ministry also reported that:

  • six out of ten applicants were under 34;
  • 83.2% of applications were submitted online;
  • almost 200,000 applications were handled in person;
  • by 30 June, 159,097 Social Security registrations related to the process had been recorded.

These figures show that the regularization process has not been merely an immigration procedure. It has also served as a policy for social, labor and economic inclusion.

What benefits does regularization bring to society?

1. It reduces the informal economy

When a person can reside and work legally, their ability to sign contracts, register with Social Security and exercise their labor rights increases.

This benefits the worker, but also companies and the economy as a whole. A more transparent labor market reduces unfair competition, encourages compliance with collective agreements and increases Social Security contributions and tax revenue.

Royal Decree 316/2026 itself states that integration into the administrative and economic system strengthens Social Security, improves revenue collection and helps prevent labor exploitation.

2. Protege frente a la explotación laboral

Administrative irregularity increases the risk of accepting jobs without a contract, wages below the legal levels, abusive working hours or unsafe conditions.

Authorization to work makes it safer to claim rights, change jobs and access ordinary labor-protection mechanisms.

Regularization does not simply mean providing a document. It means reducing dependence, fear and the possibility of abuse.

3. It facilitates the recruitment many companies need

Many economic sectors have difficulty finding staff. Regularization allows people who already live in Spain, have experience and are part of our communities to take up these jobs legally.

This measure may particularly benefit sectors such as:

  • care and home assistance;
  • hospitality;
  • construcción;
  • cleaning;
  • agriculture and fishing;
  • logistics;
  • retail;
  • industry;
  • personal services.

Migration is also becoming increasingly important demographically in a country marked by ageing and negative natural population growth. The legislation expressly recognizes that the arrival of people of working age helps meet production needs and sustain the welfare system.

4. It provides stability for families

A residence authorization improves family security and facilitates their day-to-day dealings with public administrations, schools, companies and financial institutions.

For minors, the extraordinary process included specific measures and allowed certain authorizations to be processed simultaneously with those of their parents. The regulations expressly strengthened the protection of children and the best interests of the child.

5. It promotes social cohesion

Administrative irregularity creates exclusion, invisibility and mistrust. Regularization allows people to participate more steadily in community life and to exercise rights and fulfil obligations on a more equal footing.

The people who have been regularized were already living in our municipalities, shopping in local stores, taking their sons and daughters to school, using public transport and belonging to associations and neighborhood networks.

Administratively recognizing this reality helps build more cohesive and safer communities.

The challenges that begin after submitting the application

The end of the application period does not mean that the work is finished. For SenValos, a complex monitoring phase now begins.

Monitoring applications admitted for processing

Las 247 personas con admisión a trámite necesitan conocer con claridad:

  • how to prove their authorization to work;
  • how to check their case;
  • how to receive notifications;
  • what to do if they receive a request for additional information;
  • what documents they need to keep;
  • when to apply for the TIE after a favorable decision.
  • Responding to requests for additional information

Many cases may receive requests related to:

complete passports;

  • criminal-record certificates;
  • apostilles or legalizations;
  • proof of residence;
  • municipal registration;
  • Newly arrived people should keep reliable documentation that can prove their stay in Spain:
  • family documentation;
  • vulnerability reports;
  • contracts or proof of an intention to work;
  • documentation for minors.

Responding within the deadline will be decisive in preventing cases from being closed or applications from being rejected.

Access to decent work

Authorization to work does not automatically guarantee that a person will find stable employment.

It will be necessary to strengthen:

  • employment guidance;
  • mediation with companies;
  • vocational training;
  • recognition of skills;
  • recognition of qualifications;
  • prevention of exploitation;
  • support during the first employment contracts.

Housing, education and community participation

Integration is not complete with a residence card. It also requires:

  • access to adequate housing;
  • stable schooling;
  • learning Spanish and Galician;
  • healthcare;
  • access to social services;
  • work–family balance;
  • participation in the community.

What happens to people who arrived in Spain during 2026?

One of the main outstanding challenges is the situation of people who arrived in Spain after 1 January 2026.

These people could not benefit from the extraordinary regularization because they did not meet the time requirement established by the legislation. They were not excluded because they lacked the will to integrate, but because they arrived after the cut-off date.

For many of them, access to an authorization will depend on the ordinary routes provided for in immigration law.

As a general rule, most roots-based residence routes require proof of at least two years of continuous residence in Spain, except for cases such as family roots.

This may mean that newly arrived people spend a prolonged period facing difficulties in:

  • working legally;
  • renting a home;
  • opening certain banking relationships;
  • accessing training;
  • proving income;
  • exercising their labor rights;
  • building a stable integration pathway.

building a stable integration pathway.

How to support people who could not benefit from the process

The challenge for social organizations and public administrations will be to prevent these people from being abandoned over the coming years.

Necessary measures include:

Legal information from the outset

  • Each person should know which routes may apply to their situation:
  • different forms of roots-based residence;
  • residence as a family member of a Spanish citizen;
  • study or training authorizations;
  • procedures for minors;
  • humanitarian grounds;
  • international protection where there is a genuine need for protection;

recruitment from the country of origin in the cases permitted by law.

Keeping proof of residence

  • Newly arrived people should keep reliable documentation that can prove their stay in Spain:
  • municipal registration;
  • medical reports;
  • enrolment and training certificates;
  • school documentation;
  • rental contracts;
  • bills;
  • receipts for shipments and administrative procedures;

certificates issued by organizations.

This documentation may prove essential in future procedures.

Municipal registration and access to basic rights

Municipal registration is essential for proving actual residence and facilitating access to municipal, healthcare, educational and social services.

Local administrations must avoid undue barriers and ensure that people can register in accordance with the law, even when they do not own a home or have a standard rental contract.

Training and integration pathways

The period before a possible regularization should not become a period of inactivity.

  • It is necessary to facilitate:
  • language learning;
  • vocational training;
  • recognition of skills;
  • employment guidance;
  • community participation;
  • emotional support;

knowledge of rights and duties.

Regularization is a starting point

SenValos’s initial assessment is positive: 496 people supported and 247 applications admitted for processing.

Behind every figure are people and families who have had to gather documents, overcome digital barriers, request certificates from their countries, prove their residence and explain complex personal circumstances.

The extraordinary regularization has opened an opportunity to transform situations of invisibility into stable life projects. It has also shown that social organizations play an essential role in bringing administrative procedures closer to those who face the greatest difficulties.

But the challenge does not end here.

We must now ensure that admitted applications lead to favorable decisions, that people can access decent jobs and that families find stability. At the same time, it is essential to support those who arrived during 2026 and could not access the extraordinary process.

An effective integration policy cannot be limited to a one-off measure. It needs accessible routes, clear information, coordinated administrations and stable resources to prevent new people from becoming trapped in irregularity for years.

SenValos will continue to provide support

  • SenValos will continue working to:
  • monitor the applications submitted;
  • respond to immigration-office requests;
  • provide information about admissions and decisions;
  • support people in obtaining their TIE;
  • facilitate labor-market integration;
  • support families with minors;
  • guide people who could not benefit from the regularization;

promote a welcoming society based on rights, coexistence and equal opportunities.

Integration benefits migrants, but it also strengthens our neighborhoods, companies, public services and communities.

Regularization means recognizing a reality that already exists and turning it into an opportunity for society as a whole.

Frequently asked questions about the extraordinary regularization

Does admission for processing mean that residence has been granted?

Can people work once their application has been admitted for processing?

In the extraordinary procedures regulated by the twentieth and twenty-first additional provisions, the notice that processing has started includes provisional authorization to reside and work while the application is being decided.

Could people who arrived in 2026 apply for this regularization?

No, because one of the requirements was to be in Spain before 1 January 2026.

What can people who arrived during 2026 do?

They should study the ordinary residence routes applicable to their case. Most roots-based residence routes require two years of continuous residence, although some procedures have different rules and exceptions.

Will SenValos continue providing support after the deadline?

Yes. Monitoring cases, responding to requests for additional information, supporting social and labor integration and guiding people who could not access the process are now fundamental priorities.

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Provisional work authorization under the regularization process does not expire after three months

One of the most frequent questions among companies that have hired people participating in the 2026 extraordinary regularization process is how long their provisional work authorization lasts.

The answer is clear:

The provisional authorization does not automatically expire when three months have passed. It remains valid until the Administration notifies an express decision on the application.

This was clarified by the Directorate-General for Migration Management in an interpretative criterion signed on 22 July 2026, concerning the provisional authorizations provided for in the twentieth and twenty-first additional provisions of the Immigration Regulations.

This clarification is especially important for companies, employment advisers and employers, as it prevents dismissals, contract suspensions or lost employment opportunities caused by an incorrect interpretation of the three-month administrative deadline.

What is the provisional residence and work authorization?

People who submitted certain applications as part of the extraordinary regularization process may receive a notice that the procedure has started.

From the moment this notice is received, the person is provisionally authorized to:

  • Reside legally in Spain.
  • Work as an employee.
  • Work as a self-employed person.

This provisional authorization allows a company to hire the person and register them with Social Security while the Administration examines and finally decides their case.

It is important to note that submitting an application, on its own, does not always mean that the person is already authorized to work. The key document is the administrative notice confirming that processing has begun and expressly recognizing the provisional authorization.

Why was there doubt about the three-month deadline?

Organic Law 4/2000 generally establishes a maximum period of three months to decide and notify applications for immigration authorizations.

When that period elapses without an express decision, the application may be deemed rejected by administrative silence.

This led some companies and advisers to interpret that, once three months had passed:

  • The provisional authorization ceased to be valid.
  • The worker had to be deregistered from Social Security.
  • The employment contract could not continue.
  • The company could face problems if it maintained the employment.

The Directorate-General for Migration Management criterion clarifies that this interpretation is incorrect.

Administrative silence does not terminate the provisional permit

Negative administrative silence is not equivalent to an express decision refusing the application.

Its purpose is to allow the interested person to file the appropriate administrative or judicial appeal against the Administration’s failure to respond.

Administrative silence is therefore a procedural mechanism that allows an appeal, but it does not automatically produce all the effects of an express refusal.

Furthermore, even after three months have passed, the Administration remains obliged to issue and notify an express decision.

The Migration Management criterion concludes that expiry of the maximum decision period does not determine the loss of the provisional authorization. It remains valid until an express decision has been notified.

How long does the provisional work authorization last, then?

Its duration is not necessarily limited to three months.

The provisional authorization remains valid:

From the notice that the procedure has started until the express decision bringing the case to an end is notified.

In practice, two outcomes are possible.

Favourable decision

When the Administration grants the application, the provisional authorization gives way to the definitive residence and work authorization.

The worker may continue their employment in accordance with the conditions of the authorization granted.

Express refusal

When an express unfavourable decision is notified, the provisional authorization is lost.

Therefore, it is the notified express refusal—not the mere passage of three months—that causes the provisional authorization to be lost automatically.

Summary for companies and employers

YY
Case statusCan they continue working?
Received the notice that the procedure started and fewer than three months have passedes
Received the notice that the procedure started and more than three months have passedes
Three months have passed without an express decisionYes, as long as no express refusal has been notified
The case still appears as being processedYes, if the provisional authorization was previously recognized
An approval decision has been notifiedYes, with the definitive authorization granted
An express refusal decision has been notifiedThe provisional authorization loses its validity
Only the application was submitted, but the notice that the procedure started has not been receivedThe provisional authorization has not yet been recognized

Can the company maintain the contract after three months?

Yes.

When the worker has received the notice recognizing their provisional authorization and there is still no express refusal, they may continue carrying out their work normally.

The company should not deregister the worker from Social Security, suspend the contract or end the employment relationship solely because three months have passed since the application or since the procedure began.

The criterion expressly states that people who have already received the notice that the procedure started may continue working normally until an express refusal is issued.

What documentation should the company keep?

Para disponer de una adecuada trazabilidad documental, es recomendable que la empresa conserve:

  1. Una copia de la comunicación de inicio del procedimiento.
  2. El documento en el que conste que la persona está provisionalmente habilitada para residir y trabajar.
  3. Una copia del NIE, pasaporte o documento identificativo de la persona trabajadora.
  4. Los justificantes relacionados con el alta y la afiliación en la Seguridad Social.
  5. Las comunicaciones posteriores recibidas de la Administración.
  6. Una consulta actualizada del estado del expediente cuando sea necesario comprobar que no se ha notificado una resolución denegatoria.

Estas comprobaciones permiten acreditar que la contratación se realizó basándose en una habilitación administrativa vigente.

What happens if the company receives an inquiry from its employment adviser?

An adviser, payroll office or human resources department may consider that the authorization has expired because three months have passed.

In that case, it is advisable to provide:

  • The worker’s notice that the procedure started.
  • The documentation recognizing the provisional authorization.
  • The interpretative criterion of the Directorate-General for Migration Management dated 22 July 2026.

The key message to convey is that negative administrative silence is not an express refusal and does not terminate the provisional authorization to work.

People who have not yet received the notice that the procedure started

The criterion also examines the situation of people who submitted their application but have not yet received the notice that the procedure started.

In these cases, after three months the interested person may file the appropriate appeal against administrative silence.

However, until the notice that the procedure started has been received, it cannot be understood that the person already has the same provisional authorization recognized for those who have received that document.

The Administration remains obliged to process the case and must subsequently notify both the start of the procedure and the final decision, whether favourable or unfavourable.

Frequently asked questions about the provisional authorization

Does the provisional regularization authorization last only three months?

No. Three months is the general period available to the Administration to decide, but it is not the maximum duration of the provisional authorization.

Is the work permit lost when administrative silence occurs?

No. Administrative silence allows an appeal to be filed, but it is not an express refusal and does not by itself terminate the provisional authorization.

Can a person continue working after three months?

Yes, provided that they have received the notice recognizing their provisional authorization and have not been notified of an express refusal.

Must the company deregister the person after three months?

A deregistration should not be processed solely because three months have passed. The authorization remains valid until an express decision is issued.

Is proof that the application was submitted enough to hire someone?

Not necessarily. The company must check that the person has received the administrative notice recognizing that the procedure has started and that they are provisionally authorized to work.

When does the provisional authorization end?

When the express decision is notified. If the decision is favourable, the provisional authorization is replaced by the authorization granted. If it is a refusal, the provisional authorization is lost.

Can a company hire someone with this authorization?

Yes. The provisional authorization allows the person to work legally while it remains valid. The company must keep the documentation proving that it was recognized.

Legal certainty for companies

The clarification published by the Directorate-General for Migration Management provides legal certainty for both workers and companies.

Administrative delay cannot automatically cause a person to lose their job or force a company to end an employment relationship that began lawfully.

Consequently, the main message for employers is the following:

If the worker received the notice provisionally authorizing them to work, they can continue working after three months until an express refusal is notified.

SenValos advice for companies

At the SenValos NGO, we help companies, advisers and employers resolve questions relating to:

  • Hiring foreign nationals.
  • Checking residence and work authorizations.
  • Documentation required to formalize a hire.
  • Status of extraordinary regularization cases.
  • Continuation of contracts while authorizations are being processed.
  • Immigration procedures related to employment.

Before making an employment decision based on a worker’s administrative status, it is advisable to review the specific case documentation and check whether any subsequent decision has been issued.

Official source: Interpretative criterion of the Directorate-General for Migration Management concerning the validity of the provisional authorization provided for in the twentieth and twenty-first additional provisions of the Regulations implementing Organic Law 4/2000, signed on 22 July 2026.

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Ceuta Facing a Border Emergency: What Is Happening, Why It Is Happening, and Which False Claims We Must Debunk

Ceuta is experiencing an exceptional situation. Within a few hours, tens of thousands of people have crossed from Morocco, mainly around the Tarajal breakwater and beach. Many did so by walking along the coast or entering the sea, putting their lives at serious risk.

Initial estimates from the Spanish authorities put the number at around 49,000 arrivals in a single day, although this provisional figure will need to be reviewed once identification and registration are complete. At least 19 people have died at sea. Most of those who arrived appear to be young Moroccans, although women, families and minors are also among them. The scale of the arrivals temporarily overwhelmed Ceuta’s reception and response capacity, in a city of around 85,000 inhabitants.

We are therefore facing a border, humanitarian and administrative emergency. Denying its seriousness would be irresponsible. But using it to portray all migrants as criminals, invaders or threats would be equally irresponsible.

To understand what is happening, we must distinguish three issues: confirmed facts, possible causes and the rumours circulating.

What happened in Ceuta?

In the days before 30 July, there had already been a significant increase in people entering by sea. The situation worsened when large groups gathered on the Moroccan side and crossed at different points along the border perimeter and the Tarajal breakwater.

Spanish security forces were quickly overwhelmed. The Government mobilised Army units to support the Guardia Civil, while Spain and Morocco strengthened their coordination to regain control of the border. The following day, the Moroccan authorities had deployed more personnel and riot-control equipment, considerably reducing the crossings.

Why did this happen?

Why did this happen?

There is no single explanation. Migration is a complex phenomenon in which economic, social, political, geographical and personal factors come together.

1. A rumour about returns at the border

On 8 July, the Supreme Court confirmed that the exceptional mechanism known as border rejection or pushback cannot be applied to people intercepted at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla by swimming.

The ruling does not recognise a right to remain in Spain, nor does it prevent a return from being processed. It establishes that these people must go through the ordinary administrative procedure, with identification, legal assistance and the possibility of applying for international protection when appropriate.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, people-smuggling networks may have used this ruling deceptively, spreading the idea that anyone who managed to arrive by swimming could no longer be returned. Amplified on social media and messaging apps, this message may have encouraged numerous young people to head towards the border.

A judgment requiring legal safeguards was turned into a false message: if you reach Spain by swimming, you can stay. That is not what the court ruling says.

2. Morocco’s actions at the border

Various media outlets reported that, during the moments of greatest influx, some points on the Moroccan side were left without effective monitoring and certain officers withdrew as the crowds advanced. Morocco later redeployed personnel, water cannons and other resources to prevent further crossings.

This sudden change in border control has raised suspicions about a possible political use of migration, as also occurred during the diplomatic crisis of May 2021.

What is clear is that Morocco’s cooperation is decisive. When border control works, crossings decrease. When it weakens or disappears, Ceuta is exposed to pressure that is extremely difficult to absorb.

What is clear is that Morocco’s cooperation is decisive. When border control works, crossings decrease. When it weakens or disappears, Ceuta is exposed to pressure that is extremely difficult to absorb.

3. Lack of prospects among Moroccan young people

Social media may explain why so many people mobilised at the same time, but it does not explain why they were willing to risk their lives.

For part of the younger generation, Europe represents the real or idealised possibility of finding work, providing financial support to their family or building a life project. This expectation does not make the journey safe or guarantee that they will obtain residence, but it helps explain why a rumour can trigger such rapid mobilisation.

For part of the younger generation, Europe represents the real or idealised possibility of finding work, providing financial support to their family or building a life project. This expectation does not make the journey safe or guarantee that they will obtain residence, but it helps explain why a rumour can trigger such rapid mobilisation.

4. Ceuta’s geographical situation

Ceuta is a Spanish city in North Africa and one of the few land borders between the European Union and the African continent. This uniqueness makes it a place that is periodically subjected to intense migratory pressure.

The people who arrive do not form a homogeneous group. Some are seeking job opportunities; others may be fleeing violence, persecution or exploitation; some are unaccompanied minors, while others have been recruited by networks offering them false information.

Each situation must be assessed individually.

The main hoaxes and xenophobic messages

The main hoaxes and xenophobic messages

Situations of disorder and uncertainty are especially conducive to the spread of rumours. Some people seek to generate visits and attention on social media. Others try to turn a border-management problem into a confrontation between the Spanish population and migrants.

Hoax 1: This is an invasion organised by migrants

The arrival is extraordinarily large and represents a real problem of security, reception and management. But this is not a military invasion or an organised army.

These are mainly civilians who have moved by taking advantage of a temporary collapse in border controls. Using the word invasion portrays all these people as combatants or enemies and makes it easier to justify violence against them.

Recognising that there is an emergency does not require dehumanising those involved.

Hoax 2: They came because of the 2026 extraordinary regularisation

The extraordinary regularisation approved in April was intended for people who were already in Spain before 1 January 2026. In addition, the deadline for submitting applications ended on 30 June, one month before the events in Ceuta. People who have just crossed the border cannot benefit from this process.

Linking the two issues seeks to discredit a measure aimed at people who had been living and working in Spain for months or years, but it has no legal basis.

Linking the two issues seeks to discredit a measure aimed at people who had been living and working in Spain for months or years, but it has no legal basis.

Hoax 3: The Supreme Court has banned the return of any migrant

This is also false.

The Supreme Court has limited one specific form of immediate return: the rejection at the border of people intercepted at sea while trying to enter by swimming.

This does not prevent return procedures from being initiated in accordance with the Immigration Act. Nor does it prevent authorities from checking a person’s identity, determining whether they are a minor, examining a possible asylum application or carrying out their return when legally appropriate.

The ruling does not grant automatic residence. It requires the Administration to follow the procedure and respect legal safeguards.

Hoax 4: Everyone will receive papers and financial assistance

Entering Ceuta irregularly does not automatically grant a residence authorisation, a work permit or a permanent financial benefit.

Adults must be identified and their administrative situation examined. Some may apply for international protection; others will be subject to return procedures; and people who are particularly vulnerable may receive temporary humanitarian assistance.

The State Humanitarian Assistance Programme provides accommodation, food, basic healthcare, clothing, legal guidance and psychological support to vulnerable people who lack resources. It is not a salary or an allowance granted to every foreign person simply because they arrive in Spain.

Helping someone who arrives wet, injured or hungry is not a privilege. It is basic humanitarian action.

Hoax 5: They are criminals and have come to commit crimes

Criminal responsibility is individual. If someone commits a robbery, an assault or any other offence, they must be investigated and, where appropriate, sanctioned.

But an incident involving one person does not turn tens of thousands of people into criminals. Nationality, skin colour or administrative status cannot determine who will commit a crime.

It would also be irresponsible to deny that a gathering of thousands of people without accommodation, food or information can cause problems of coexistence or security. That is precisely why it is necessary to organise reception quickly, prevent people from being abandoned in the street and maintain an appropriate presence of public services.

Security is protected through organisation, resources and enforcement of the law, not through collective accusations.

Hoax 6: Ceuta and its population have to deal with the problem alone

Ceuta is the point of entry, but the border it is managing is also the external border of Spain and the European Union.

Territorial solidarity is not optional. The new European framework on migration and asylum establishes that states and territories facing extraordinary pressure should not have to deal with these situations alone.

Transferring people to suitable facilities on the mainland, distributing care for minors among different autonomous communities and financing emergency services does not mean ignoring the concerns of the people of Ceuta. It means responding to them.

Regain control of the border without putting lives at risk

Regain control of the border without putting lives at risk

Spain and Morocco must maintain permanent coordination to prevent new mass crossings. Strengthening border control must be accompanied by maritime rescue teams and protocols that prevent further deaths.

A controlled border is not a border where people are allowed to drown.

Register and identify people individually

It is necessary to know who has entered, detect minors, locate families, identify potential victims of trafficking and determine who needs international protection.

Collective returns without identification or the opportunity to explain personal circumstances are not only legally problematic; they can also result in minors, refugees or victims of exploitation being sent back to dangerous situations.

Strengthen reception and relieve pressure on Ceuta

The presence of thousands of people in streets, parks or improvised facilities increases both human suffering and problems of coexistence.

Dignified temporary facilities must be made available, and orderly transfers to other centres should be organised whenever legally possible. Unaccompanied minors need specific protection and cannot receive the same administrative treatment as adults.

Provide information quickly and in several languages

Disinformation has played a significant role in this crisis. Spain, Morocco and the European Union must disseminate clear messages in Arabic, French, Spanish and other languages used in the region.

It is necessary to explain that irregular entry does not guarantee residence, that the Supreme Court ruling does not prevent returns and that trying to swim around the breakwater can be fatal.

Investigate the networks that spread false information

It must be investigated who organised the messaging groups, who distributed the instructions and who may have gained financial benefits from the movement of people.

It must also be clarified transparently whether there was a political decision to relax border control. Suspicions cannot replace an investigation, but neither should they be ignored.

Create legal pathways and mobility agreements

As long as jumping a fence or entering the sea remains the only visible option for many young people, the networks will continue to have the ability to recruit people.

Spain and Morocco can expand programmes for recruitment in countries of origin, vocational training, youth mobility, study and temporary work. These pathways must be controlled and adapted to labour needs, but they offer a safer and more orderly alternative.

Address the structural causes

Cooperation with Morocco cannot be limited to paying for surveillance equipment. It must include youth employment, training, entrepreneurship, local development and the reduction of territorial inequalities.

Border control can stop a specific arrival. Only the existence of real prospects can reduce migratory pressure in the long term.

Neither racism nor denial of the problem

What happened in Ceuta is serious. There is an overwhelmed border, public services under enormous pressure, people who have died and a local population that is legitimately concerned.

Defending human rights does not mean denying these facts. It means responding without turning all migrants into collective culprits.

At SenValos, we believe that a responsible migration policy must be able to maintain border control, combat trafficking networks, apply the law, protect the local population and guarantee dignified treatment for the people who arrive.

Racism offers no solutions. It merely turns an emergency that requires management, cooperation and resources into a conflict between people who are not responsible for its causes.

To understand Ceuta, we must reject two simplifications: that nothing is happening here and that those who arrive are our enemies. Reality is more complex, and precisely for that reason it needs rigorous information, effective institutions and a society that does not allow fear to replace facts.

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2026 extraordinary regularisation: what has been announced and how to prepare if you are a migrant or if your company needs to hire staff

On 26 January 2026, a political agreement was announced to promote an extraordinary regularisation of foreign nationals already living in Spain. According to the information released, on Tuesday 27 January 2026, the Council of Ministers plans to approve the start of the processing of a Royal Decree that would articulate this process.

This is important: we are not yet looking at the final applicable text. The key practical factor will be the final Royal Decree and, above all, its publication in the Official State Gazette, together with the operating instructions (where to submit it, how to prove each requirement, internal deadlines, etc.). In the meantime, the smartest thing to do is to calmly gather information, avoid rumours and prepare documentation judiciously.

Below is a practical guide aimed at migrants, companies and employers who may benefit from this measure.

1) What is this extraordinary regularisation?

What was approved on 27 January is the formal start of the urgent processing of an extraordinary regularisation by Royal Decree, with the stated aim of providing legal certainty and bringing order to a situation that already exists in the country.

The Administration has announced a provisional timetable: applications are expected to be accepted from early April 2026 (once the procedures for the final approval of the Royal Decree have been completed) and the process will remain open until 30 June 2026.

This point is crucial: between ‘announcement/start of processing’ and ‘fully operational procedure’, there are usually details that change on a daily basis (forms, submission channels, accepted documentation, evaluation criteria). Therefore, today the priority is not to ‘rush’, but to prepare yourself to do things right when the BOE sets the exact rules.

2) Who could benefit: key criteria announced

According to what has been published, the central elements would be:

  • Cut-off date: be in Spain before 31 December 2025.
  • Minimum stay: proof of at least five months‘ stay/residence.
  • Criminal record: no relevant/serious criminal record (the exact wording will depend on the final text).
  • Groups: it is mentioned that it would cover people in an irregular situation and also asylum seekers (under the terms to be defined).

The official information already published expressly includes applicants for international protection, provided that they can prove that they submitted their application before 31 December 2025. In this case, the general requirement of a minimum stay of five months does not apply, because the criterion is based on the date of submission of the application for international protection.

For individuals who are in the appeal phase, following the denial of a red card or asylum, and who continue to be authorised to work due to the granting of precautionary measures (or other current coverage), it will be necessary to verify two aspects at the same time:

  • Plan 1 (extraordinary regularisation): the person either meets or does not meet the criteria that are ultimately confirmed for applicants for international protection (date of application, supporting documentation and absence of impediments).
  • Plan 2 (current work situation): the employment relationship continues to be based on a valid work permit (red card/renewals and, if applicable, proof of appeal and precautionary measures).

Regularisation, if ultimately applied to these applicants for international protection, may open the way to a residence permit that is intended to be more stable and with a subsequent ‘leap’ to ordinary status. However, until the Royal Decree is finally approved and published, it is prudent not to take anything for granted.

Minors and families: are they eligible for extraordinary regularisation?

Yes, in principle, minors can be included in this process, but it is important to explain this clearly to avoid misunderstandings. According to the official guidelines issued after the start of the process, regularisation is not only intended for ‘individual adults’, but also to protect family stability. In practice, this means that when an adult submits their application for regularisation, their minor children who are already in Spain are expected to be able to regularise their status at the same time. In addition, it has been pointed out that authorisation for minors could be valid for a longer period (five years has been mentioned), precisely to provide continuity and prevent children and adolescents from being caught up in constant renewals.

In the case of minors who are applicants for international protection, the criterion announced for applicants (the date of application before 31/12/2025) could also be relevant, but the exact fit will depend on the final Royal Decree and what is published in the Official State Gazette.

3) Expected benefits if you take advantage of the measure: announced practical effects

In the absence of the final text in the Official State Gazette, there are several elements that have already been officially communicated which, if confirmed as they stand, will have a direct impact on your planning:

The regularisation process sets a cut-off date (being in Spain or having submitted an application for international protection before 31 December 2025) and requires, as a general condition, that applicants have no criminal record and do not pose a threat to public order.

As for the effects, the authorisation granted would be valid for an initial period of one year, after which the person would have to comply with the ordinary provisions of the Immigration Regulations in order to consolidate their status. And, especially important for working life: it has been indicated that, once the application has been submitted, admission to the process would be decided within a maximum period of 15 days and that, from that admission, the possibility of working would be enabled. The Administration also sets itself a maximum period of three months to reach a decision.

4) If you are a migrant: how to prepare yourself now (without making mistakes)

Until it is published in the Official State Gazette, it is wise to prepare evidence and organise your information. Some useful actions:

Gather evidence of permanence (with clear dates)

The following have been cited as examples of valid documentation:

  • Register (registration).
  • Reports or proof of medical appointments.
  • Certificates of attendance at social resources.
  • Rental agreement.
  • Proof of money transfers.
  • Transport tickets.

Practical recommendation: create a folder (physical and digital) and organise it by month. What usually goes wrong in these processes is not “not having anything”, but rather not being able to demonstrate continuity or not being able to date the presence correctly.

Check your identity documents.

Although the final documentation requirements have not yet been published, in administrative practice it is usually essential to have:

  • Valid passport (if possible) or available identification documentation.
  • Legible and consistent copies (first names, surnames, dates).

If there are any inconsistencies, it is advisable to correct them with advice before submitting anything.

Avoid risks: fraud, ‘shortcuts’ and false promises

In regularisation scenarios, scams arise (charges for appointments, simulated contracts, unlicensed ‘agents’). A simple rule: no one can guarantee you a result before there is a procedure in the Official State Gazette and before studying your case.

5) If you are a company or employer: what changes and how to make the most of them

For a company, this measure can mean something very specific: expanding access to talent that is already working or could work, but without a stable administrative pathway.

What opportunities does it open up?

  • More legally secure hiring when the person obtains authorisation and legal registration.
  • Reduction in staff turnover and the underground economy, as employment relationships can be formalised.

What to do now

Although the final procedure will depend on the text published in the Official State Gazette, you can move forward with internal work that will allow you to react quickly and with legal certainty when the deadline opens. Start by assessing your actual staffing needs — profiles, shifts, work centres and peak times — to identify which positions could be filled as soon as people obtain authorisation to work. Next, it is advisable to define a clear circuit between Human resources, employment advice, risk prevention and team leaders , so that the incorporation is orderly and does not create bottlenecks in hiring, recognition, training, or documentation.

At the same time, establish an internal policy of compliance and document traceability: the company should only hire and register employees when there is valid authorisation or accreditation, and keep evidence (contract, registration, communications and any other required documents) in order to be able to demonstrate good practices in the event of any verification. This approach reduces risks and also instils confidence in your staff and customers.

How to support your staff

If your team includes asylum seekers with red cards who have been denied international protection but have appealed that denial and are working under precautionary measures (or other resolutions that maintain their eligibility), the most valuable thing your company can offer is order, legal certainty, and practical support.

In practice, this means periodically verifying—always with the utmost confidentiality—that the current documentation maintains the authorisation to work: valid red card, proof of renewal where applicable and, if applicable, resolution or proof of the appeal and the request/granting of precautionary measures. This is not a matter of ‘asking for too much’, but rather of ensuring that the employment relationship is based on a valid qualification and that the company can prove this in the event of any checks.

From there, useful support is operational: facilitating flexible hours for court appearances, notifications, appointments, or renewals; setting up a point of contact in HR to channel documentation without exposing the person; and establishing internal reminders about expiry dates and renewals, because an administrative oversight can lead to avoidable interruptions.

Finally, if the Royal Decree on regularisation confirms a specific route for asylum seekers in certain circumstances, the company can support its staff with a clear policy of verified information, avoiding rumours and always referring to specialist advice when there are doubts. This approach protects the individual, reduces risks for the company and reinforces a stable and dignified working environment.

6) Probable timeline and what to watch for starting 27 January

The decisive factors in the coming weeks will be: the final approval of the Royal Decree, its publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and the publication of implementation instructions (submission channels, documentary accreditation, internal deadlines, possible fees and admission criteria).

Until then, if your case fits the profile of a person who can benefit from this regularisation process, your best strategy is to prepare yourself to act within the planned window without improvising: organised documentation, clear dates and rigorous advice when the final text is available.

7) How SenValos can help you

At SenValos, we work with a simple idea: to guide you with accurate and realistic information, without feeding false expectations and focusing on safe decisions for you or your organisation.

Once the measure has been approved and published in the Official State Gazette, we will be able to:

  • Analyse your case (migrant) or your situation as a company/employer.
  • Assist you in interpreting requirements, preparing documentation, and avoiding errors.
  • Supporting you so that regularisation, if applicable, translates into stability, decent employment and real inclusion.
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COIDAMUXÍA: intergenerational volunteering to combat loneliness among older people in rural Muxía

Today, 31 October 2025, we officially close COIDAMUXÍA, an intergenerational volunteering initiative promoted by the Muxía Council to reduce unwanted loneliness among older people and strengthen community cohesion. The programme, co-financed by the Regional Government of Galicia, is part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan financed by the European Union (NextGenerationEU) and ran from 1 August to 31 October 2025, providing a local, evidence-based response to a growing social challenge in rural Galicia.

The challenge: unwanted loneliness in rural areas

Unwanted loneliness affects a significant proportion of the elderly population in Spain, particularly in rural areas where distance, the loss of family networks and limited resources make it difficult to access regular support. The design of COIDAMUXÍA is based precisely on this local and national diagnosis, which highlights the persistence of situations of prolonged loneliness and the need for specific home and community support in areas such as Muxía.

What we did at COIDAMUXÍA

The project combined home support and intergenerational meetings with a participatory methodology. Among the actions implemented, the following stand out:

  • Recruitment and selection of volunteers, in coordination with local social organisations.
  • Specialised training for volunteers (designing solidarity initiatives, emotional support). This training was designed with a practical approach and based on real-life cases.
  • Intergenerational pairing (senior–young volunteer pairs and an elderly beneficiary) for weekly, flexible and personalised companionship: conversation, therapeutic walks and connection with other elderly people.
  • Intergenerational encounters and design thinking dynamics so that volunteers themselves could devise pilot initiatives tailored to the real needs identified in homes.

This architecture made it possible to offer regular, measurable human support, with continuous monitoring and final evaluation based on indicators of impact on older people, volunteers and the community.

Who participated

COIDAMUXÍA was designed to accompany independent elderly people who need occasional support and to train senior and young volunteers in care and community revitalisation. The design framework envisaged 20 older people and 8 volunteers.

In practice, a key piece of information about participation that we would like to highlight is that five of the eight volunteers came from abroad. This diversity enriched the bonds that were formed and reinforced our conviction that the participation of migrants as volunteers is a strategic asset for community well-being, inclusion and employability in the care ecosystem.

Achievements and value added

Although COIDAMUXÍA has been a pilot project, its impact has resulted in concrete progress and solid foundations for continuity and replication:

  1. Stable intergenerational support network: weekly contact and active listening improved the emotional wellbeing and social participation of the elderly people receiving support.
  2. Trained and empowered volunteers: volunteers strengthened their skills in care, communication, first aid and small-scale social entrepreneurship, increasing their motivation to remain active in the region.
  3. Social innovation from the bottom up: the use of design thinking allowed pilot initiatives to be tested and adjustments to be made to what worked, promoting practical and replicable learning.
  4. Community fabric and collaboration: we work with social services, which is essential for reaching more dispersed parishes and sustaining our intervention over time.
  5. Replicable and scalable model: COIDAMUXÍA documented good practices and laid the foundations for a methodological guide to facilitate replication in other rural municipalities facing similar challenges.

Furthermore, the project was implemented within the framework of call BS508E (intergenerational volunteering in rural areas) funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU (PRTR), aligning local intervention with European priorities for social cohesion and innovation in care.

Why volunteering programmes matter in the face of loneliness

Volunteer programmes do not replace professional services, but they do multiply their reach: they go where it is difficult to go, build trust door to door and activate latent resources in the community. In rural contexts, this proximity + continuity approach makes all the difference: it reinforces autonomy, prevents situations of vulnerability and weaves networks between generations and diverse backgrounds.

In particular, the participation of migrants brings perspectives, languages and experiences that enrich the support provided and accelerate their inclusion in the municipality (relationships, employment references, cross-cutting skills). When, as in COIDAMUXÍA, the majority of the volunteer team comes from abroad, the message is clear: care is a common language and a real path to two-way integration (those who help also feel part of the community, learn and plan for the future). This commitment to employability linked to care is part of the project’s DNA and is in line with strategies to promote volunteering in Galicia.

Measurement and continuous improvement

From the outset, we incorporated a monitoring and evaluation system with surveys, interviews and visit logs to measure the perceived reduction in loneliness, the satisfaction of older people and volunteers, and the degree of community participation. This evaluation not only guarantees transparency and quality, but also allows us to identify which initiatives work best, consolidate them and transfer them to new contexts.

Looking ahead

COIDAMUXÍA ends today, but its lessons continue. We have demonstrated that, with training, regular support, social innovation, and partnerships, intergenerational volunteering reduces unwanted loneliness and strengthens rural communities. Our next step is to consolidate and scale up: sharing the methodology, keeping the volunteer network alive, and adding collaborations so that more older people feel accompanied in their daily lives.

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2025 at SenValos NGO: a year of inclusion, partnerships and measurable results

31st December 2025. We close the year with a mixture of quiet pride and responsibility. Pride, because 2025 has been a year of sustained hard work, of presence in the territory and of projects that have responded to real needs. Responsibility, because every piece of data we share and every story we accompany reminds us that social inclusion is not an abstract idea: it is a daily, demanding and collective task.

In a social context where progress coexists with uncertainty —and where, on occasion, we hear discourse that simplifies diversity or questions sustainability and interculturalism— at ONGD SenValos we have opted for a clear approach: to act with rigour, closeness and evidence, forging alliances to make opportunities more accessible to all and to make our communities more cohesive, safer and more prosperous.

This article is a summary of what we have achieved in 2025, the results we have attained, and our outlook as we enter 2026.

A key idea that has guided 2025: inclusion that is built locally

If anything defines this year, it is the combination of three elements:

  1. Territory: grounded projects with a real presence in municipalities and regions.
  2. Support: inclusion processes that are not resolved in a single session, but rather through sustained pathways.
  3. Partnerships: local government, community organisations, businesses and committed citizens.

Social inclusion, employability, education, community health and rural well-being do not depend on a single intervention. They depend on networks and continuity. That is why at SenValos we have prioritised networking, coordination with local agents and the ability to adapt each project to the specific reality of each location.

Main projects for 2025

1) Social inclusion of migrants in A Coruña, Negreira, Vilagarcía de Arousa and Chantada

During 2025, we developed various social inclusion projects aimed at migrants in A Coruña, Negreira, Vilagarcía de Arousa, and Chantada. The common goal was to reduce barriers and expand opportunities through support, guidance, community activation, and coordinated referral to resources.

These projects are based on a simple premise: inclusion does not happen ‘by inertia’. It requires accessible information, support at key moments, assistance in navigating procedures and resources, and also spaces where community ties can be strengthened.

2) European project: training in host languages using AI, in collaboration with Poland

Language is a key. It opens doors to social participation, education, employment and access to services. In 2025, we are promoting a European project for training in host languages using AI, in collaboration with Poland.

The focus has been on exploring more personalised and accessible approaches: different learning rhythms, adaptable itineraries and resources that reduce dependence on a single teaching format. Innovation, in our approach, does not replace the human element: it reinforces it. Technology is useful when it broadens access, reduces gaps and respects the diversity of contexts.

3) COIDAMUXÍA: promoting volunteering to alleviate unwanted loneliness in rural areas

Rural areas don’t just need services: they need community. In 2025, we launched a project to promote volunteering through COIDAMUXÍA, aimed at alleviating unwanted loneliness in rural areas.

Unwanted loneliness is a silent phenomenon that affects health and well-being. Responding to it requires sensitivity, continuity and a form of care that does not infantilise or invade, but rather accompanies with respect. Volunteering, when well designed and well managed, can be a powerful tool for strengthening bonds, activating neighbourhood networks and sustaining everyday life.

4) VALÍA: comprehensive itinerary for migrant women in vulnerable situations

In 2025, we developed the VALÍA project, a comprehensive programme for vulnerable migrant women. This work was based on a reality that must be stated bluntly: many migrant women face multiple barriers (administrative, employment, linguistic, caregiving, social isolation, and access to rights).

A comprehensive approach means providing support with a gender and rights perspective, coordinating resources and sustaining processes, not just ‘responding to specific demands’. At VALÍA, the priority has been to strengthen capacities, protect rights and expand support networks so that each person can build their life project with greater security and autonomy.

5) San Isidro Eco-farm: social and labour inclusion through regenerative agriculture

The ecological transition is not just an environmental issue: it is also a social one. In 2025, we are moving forward with the social and labour inclusion project through regenerative agriculture at Ecogranja San Isidro.

Regenerative agriculture connects employment, practical learning, sustainability and territorial roots. Working from this approach means thinking long term: healthier soils, lower-impact production, and at the same time, inclusion pathways that can open doors to employment and entrepreneurship in the agri-food sector.

6) Educational support for young migrants in A Coruña, with assistance in the form of school supplies.

Education is a right and also a predictor of future opportunities. In 2025, we continued the educational support project for young migrants in A Coruña, including assistance with the provision of school supplies.

Here, the objective is very specific: that the starting point does not determine the ceiling. Accompanying students in their studies, reinforcing habits, supporting educational continuity and reducing material barriers is a direct investment in the future, in self-esteem and in belonging.

7) Revitalisation of the agroecological production sector in the region of A Coruña

In 2025, we will participate as a driving force in the agroecological production sector in the region of A Coruña. Agroecology is a path to regional development with economic, environmental and social potential. Boosting the sector means facilitating connections, activating networks, raising awareness of initiatives and contributing to a more resilient production ecosystem.

This work has a strategic component: if we want vibrant territories and just transitions, we need local value chains, decent employment and sustainable production models that leave no one behind.

8) Promotion of migrant associations: support for initiatives in A Coruña, Betanzos and Costa da Morte

Inclusion is strengthened when there is community participation and organisation. In 2025, we will reinforce the promotion of migrant associations, supporting initiatives in A Coruña, Betanzos and Costa da Morte.

This support seeks something essential: that migrants are not only recipients of services, but also protagonists of proposals, spaces for coexistence and collective actions. Associationism is a vehicle for active citizenship and a key element in building more cohesive communities.

2025 results: data that speaks to effort and impact

Accountability matters. Not only for transparency, but because it allows us to learn, improve, and sustain social support for what works.

In 2025, at SenValos NGO:

  • We assisted 643 migrants throughout the year.
  • Sixty-three per cent were women, reinforcing the importance of maintaining specific approaches and measures that address structural inequalities.
  • We trained 95 people, promoting key skills for autonomy and employability.
  • We achieved stable employment for 34 people, a particularly significant indicator due to its direct impact on economic security and life plans.
  • We have had a positive indirect impact on more than 13,600 people through community actions, awareness-raising, networking, revitalisation and improvement of environments.

These figures are not an end goal: they are a starting point for further improvement. Behind each figure lies time, coordination, monitoring, and also the determination of those who trust in our programmes and participate in them.

What 2025 has taught us (and what we will not lose sight of)

This year leaves us with clear lessons:

  • Itineraries work better than isolated interventions. Inclusion requires continuity and follow-up.
  • The community approach multiplies the impact. When you activate local networks, the changes are sustained beyond a single project.
  • Useful innovation is innovation that bridges gaps. AI and technology make sense when they improve access, personalisation, and efficiency without dehumanising processes.
  • Rural areas require specific solutions. Unwanted loneliness cannot be addressed with urban solutions: it requires closeness, presence and respect for the rhythms of the territory.
  • Sustainability and inclusion are two sides of the same transition. There is no viable environmental future without social justice, nor lasting social justice without sustainable environments.

Vision for 2026: consolidate, scale up and take care of the essentials

We are entering 2026 with a practical and forward-looking vision: to consolidate what works, scale up what can be replicated, and strengthen the quality of our support. This involves:

  • strengthen employability and training pathways;
  • expand community-based and participatory approaches;
  • seguir innovando en aprendizaje de lenguas y metodologías accesibles;
  • strengthen actions that connect agroecology, employment and territory;
  • and take care of the team and volunteers, because there can be no sustained impact without well-cared-for organisations.

Thank you, and how to keep adding

None of this is done alone. Thanks to the participants, volunteers, professional team, collaborating entities, administrations, and the productive fabric that has walked alongside SenValos throughout 2025.

If you would like to contribute to the continuation of this work and help it reach further in 2026, there are several ways you can get involved: participate, spread the word, collaborate as an organisation, or support SenValos’ initiatives in your field. The important thing remains the same: to continue building community and real opportunities, with rigour and humanity.

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Every menu counts: SenValos in the Collective Catering PDE

SenValos’ participation in the Collective Restoration Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (PDE) promoted by the Paideia Galiza Foundation and the Juana de Vega Foundation has been an opportunity to send a clear message: the transition towards responsible collective catering in Galicia will only make sense if, at the same time, we strengthen the agroecological fabric and open up space for the labour inclusion and entrepreneurship of migrants.

At the round table of experts on organic production, SenValos brought this dual perspective to the table: territory and decent employment; ecological transition and social justice; healthy menus and life projects that take root in Galicia.

A PDE to rethink collective catering in terms of territory

PDEs are participatory workshops in which government, businesses, social organisations, research centres and other key players come together to identify challenges and business opportunities linked to the Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3). In this case, the PDE focused on how to promote collective catering – both public and private – that incorporates criteria of circularity, ecology and sustainability, and opens up new business opportunities in Galicia.

This PDE is part of Paideia’s Circular Challenge project, which works to support innovation and the circular economy in small Galician businesses, covering different productive sectors.

What we took away from the presentation by the Juana de Vega Foundation

The initial presentation by the Juana de Vega Foundation, entitled ‘Responsible collective catering: how to achieve it and overcome obstacles’ (5 November 2025), clearly outlined both the urgency and the potential for transformation that collective catering has in Galicia.

Some key ideas that invite action

  • The food system is at the heart of major challenges: around 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from food; a third of food ends up in the bin; and millions of deaths each year are linked to unhealthy diets.
  • Galicia is a region with enormous agricultural potential, but it has been neglected: some 300,000 hectares of usable agricultural land have been lost since 1985 and some 500,000 hectares with good productive capacity are underused, with the consequent increase in the risk of large fires and the disappearance of agroforestry mosaics.
  • There is a high degree of external dependence on agri-food imports, especially for fruit, vegetables, potatoes and cereals. However, by recovering around 146,000 hectares of farmland, this dependence could be reduced by approximately 30% and progress made towards greater food sovereignty.
  • Organic production in Galicia is growing, but it is still far from reaching its potential: some 43,000 hectares (6–7% of the UAA), mainly pastureland, with very little organic land dedicated to fruit, vegetables, potatoes and cereals that actually feed collective canteens.
  • The regulatory framework is pushing in the right direction: the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy promote sustainable public food procurement. In Spain, annual spending on public food procurement is estimated at around €2.5 billion, which should become a lever for change towards healthier and more circular food systems.
  • The new Royal Decree 315/2025 on school menus sets minimum criteria for nutritional quality and sustainability: daily fruit and vegetables, a minimum amount of seasonal produce, increased consumption of legumes and fish, and the mandatory introduction of organic produce, with plans to extend these criteria to hospitals and care homes.
  • Galicia also has a new Food Quality Law (1/2024), which protects the quality, traceability and sustainability of Galician food products, and a law that incorporates the product life cycle as an evaluation criterion in public procurement.
  • School canteens are a decisive lever: there are 616 canteens and almost 77,000 diners, with more than 100,000 meals served every day in Galicia, but most of the concessions are in the hands of large companies based outside the region, which makes it difficult for small local producers to enter the market.
  • There are already inspiring examples that show it is possible: the municipal network of canteens in Ames, the EoAlimenta bioregion and Inditex’s sustainable corporate catering, as well as the ‘Ecocomedores da Biosfera’ in Mariñas Coruñesas and Terras do Mandeo, with an association of organic producers (ECOAGRA), training for kitchens and digital tools for marketing.
  • The main barriers are systemic: tenders designed for large batches, award criteria dominated by price, lack of logistics platforms, disconnect between supply and demand, and weakness of small farms in processing and marketing.
  • The solution lies in coordinating the entire value chain: local production, logistics, responsible purchasing, collective cooking and education for conscious consumption, working in a coordinated manner between administrations, companies, producers, cooks and social entities.

This analysis is fully in line with SenValos’ own mission: if land and value chains are not managed with social and ecological criteria, abandonment, precariousness and inequality will become entrenched.

SenValos’ contribution: agroecology and inclusion of migrants

At the PDE’s organic production table, SenValos has given a voice to those who are often left out of these conversations: migrants who are already supporting part of the food system, both in the countryside and in the restaurant industry, yet continue to face more barriers than opportunities.

Our commitment focuses on several areas:

  1. Supporting Galicia’s agroecological production network
    • Supporting small farms in their professionalisation and connection with collective catering channels.
    • Promoting partnerships between producers, school canteens, catering companies and local authorities, so that public and collective purchasing prioritises organic and locally sourced products.
  2. Facilitating the incorporation of migrants into this productive fabric
    • Designing job placement programmes that combine training in agroecology, sustainable cooking and cross-cutting skills with real labour needs in rural areas and the catering industry.
    • Promoting practices, contracts and social support that encourage workers to put down roots in the region, preventing migrant labour from being condemned to temporary and precarious employment.
  3. Promoting entrepreneurship with social and environmental impact
    • Supporting projects led by migrants in areas such as organic production, food processing and catering, helping these businesses to connect with local supply chains and responsible collective catering initiatives.

The message is simple: if we are going to redesign the menus that feed thousands of children, elderly people and workers every day, let’s take advantage of this effort to create decent jobs, diversify the business fabric and turn cultural diversity into an asset for the region.

From menus to life projects: next stop, Territorio Emprende

This vision will continue to take shape this weekend at the Territorio Emprende – Retiro Semente I: “O fogón e a foliada das alianzas” (Entrepreneurial Territory – Semente I Retreat: “The bonfire and the celebration of alliances”) event, organised by the Paideia Foundation. The retreat will take place at the Casa Rural A Casa Antiga do Monte rural guest house in Lestrobe (A Coruña), a space designed to combine reflection, coexistence and the design of impactful projects.

As part of the programme, on Saturday 29 November, the round table discussion ‘Inspiring Experience: Entrepreneurship with Impact’ will put a face and voice to this commitment to diverse entrepreneurship rooted in the region. Two migrant entrepreneurs supported by SenValos will share their experiences:

  • Marina, a Venezuelan agricultural innovator involved in agroecological production, is demonstrating that it is possible to combine technical knowledge, sustainable practices and an intercultural approach to food.
  • Mamadou, a Senegalese entrepreneur who runs the Faramaren restaurant, which incorporates local produce and gastronomic offerings that bring other cultures closer to the Galician palate, generating employment and revitalising the area.

This round table, moderated by sociologist and consultant Luisa Gallego, is part of a conference that also includes a co-creation ideas laboratory, film forum spaces on territory and sustainable future, and a collective closing ceremony of commitments.

Towards collective restoration that transforms territory and biographies

SenValos’ participation in the Collective Restoration PDE and Territorio Emprende is not an isolated event, but rather another step in a long-term strategy:

  • Linking the fight against rural depopulation and the risk of fires with the creation of decent jobs in the countryside and restoration.
  • Leverage the enormous volume of menus in collective dining halls as a tool to promote local organic production.
  • Ensure that migrants are included on equal terms in this ecological transition, whether through employment or entrepreneurship.

If you work in local government, a school canteen, a catering company or an agroecological farm, now is the time to ask yourself what role you can play. Every tender, every menu, every small supply agreement can be another piece in a fairer, more sustainable and inclusive Galician food system.

At SenValos, we will continue to focus on this: ensuring that every menu counts, and that every person who wants to build their life in Galicia can do so by contributing to a vibrant, diverse region with a bright future.

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Giving Tuesday: when donating means investing in a more prosperous society

Every year, on the Tuesday after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the focus shifts from consumption to generosity. It is Giving Tuesday, a global movement that began in 2012, inviting individuals, businesses and organisations to dedicate a day to “doing good”: donating money, time, knowledge or influence to support social causes.

In just a decade, Giving Tuesday has become one of the world’s major events for solidarity, mobilising billions of euros in a single day and supporting social organisations of all sizes. It is not just another campaign: it is a powerful reminder that, in the face of fear and polarisation, generosity remains a very real force for change.

In times of fear and rhetoric of rejection, donating is taking a stand.

We are living in a time when messages against sustainability, migrants and interculturalism are multiplying. Ideas such as the following are repeated:

  • “The ecological transition is impoverishing us.”
  • “Immigration is a burden on the system.”
  • “We cannot sustain so much social assistance.”

These arguments oversimplify a complex reality and, above all, omit a key fact: advancing sustainability, inclusion and diversity does not impoverish us as a society; on the contrary, it helps lay the foundations for more solid, resilient and shared prosperity.

Donating on Giving Tuesday to social causes related to these areas is, in that sense, a very clear way of saying: ‘I want a country that is moving towards a sustainable, inclusive and prosperous future, and I am willing to invest in it.’

Myth 1: “Sustainability makes us poorer”

Reality: when well managed, the green transition creates jobs, innovation and resilience.

European data shows that employment in the so-called ‘environmental economy’ (renewable energy, waste management, energy efficiency, circular economy, etc.) has grown faster than employment in the economy as a whole in recent decades.

It is true that the ecological transition involves costs, sectoral changes and tensions, and also generates political resistance. But the evidence is clear: delaying the transition is more costly in terms of employment and well-being than accelerating it with social justice criteria.

When you donate to organisations working for social and environmental sustainability, you are not ‘throwing money away’ on a green fad. You are contributing to:

  • Prepare people in vulnerable situations to access green jobs of the present and future.
  • Promote production and consumption models that reduce risks (climate, energy, food) and, therefore, future costs for society as a whole.
  • Protecting the health, territory and livelihoods of communities that, if no action is taken, will be hardest hit by environmental crises.

It is an investment in resilience and competitiveness, not an ideological luxury.

Myth 2: ‘Immigration and interculturalism take resources away from us.’

Reality: migration is already one of the drivers of economic and demographic prosperity.

While some discourses insist on portraying migrants as a burden, the data tells a different story.

  • In many countries, migrants represent a very significant percentage of entrepreneurs.
  • In many advanced economies, migrants have been responsible for much of the growth in employment and for alleviating labour shortages in key sectors.

In the case of Spain, various recent analyses indicate that:

  • The Spanish economy has grown above the European average, with a significant proportion of new jobs filled by people born outside Spain.
  • Immigration is sustaining the growth of the working population in a country with a rapidly ageing demographic, and making a significant contribution to the social security system.

In other words, without the contribution of migrants, our capacity to maintain public services, pension systems and productive fabric would be lower, not higher.

Donating to organisations that support migrants in their integration into the labour market, entrepreneurship and social participation is therefore a very direct commitment to:

  • More jobs and more entrepreneurship.
  • More quotations and more local consumption.
  • Greater social cohesion and less exclusion, which is always much more expensive to manage in the medium and long term.

Myth 3: ‘Cultural diversity creates conflict’

Reality: interculturality, if nurtured, multiplies creativity, innovation and cohesion.

Diverse societies are not automatically fairer; they need specific policies and practices to ensure that difference becomes shared wealth rather than inequality. This is where social causes that work on interculturality are essential:

  • They measured conflicts and prevented polarisation by creating meeting spaces.
  • They offer training, support and tools to combat racism and discrimination.
  • They connect people from diverse backgrounds with real opportunities for employment, housing, participation, and entrepreneurship.

When you decide to donate to intercultural projects, you are supporting the kind of society where diversity is not grudgingly tolerated, but rather leveraged as a catalyst for innovation, economic creativity, and stronger democracy.

And what does all this have to do with Giving Tuesday and ONGD SenValos?

Giving Tuesday is a very specific occasion to turn your values into action. It’s not just a hashtag: it’s an opportunity to choose what kind of future you want to fund.

At ONGD SenValos, we work precisely at those crossroads where the model of society we will have tomorrow is at stake:

  • Sustainability and territory, supporting agroecological and responsible production initiatives that boost the local productive fabric and generate decent employment.
  • Migrants and entrepreneurship, supporting pathways to employment and entrepreneurial projects that bring economic and social value to the community as a whole.
  • Interculturality and inclusion, creating spaces and programmes where people from diverse backgrounds can meet, learn and participate on equal terms.

Each donation helps sustain and expand these processes: more training, more personalised support, more technical support for entrepreneurship, more partnerships with companies committed to social and environmental sustainability. In clear terms: more real opportunities for individuals and communities to get ahead and contribute to collective well-being.

This Giving Tuesday, your donation is a statement about the future.

You can look at the current context and focus on the messages of fear: ‘there isn’t enough for everyone’, ‘sustainability is a luxury’, ‘migration takes away from us’. Or you can look at the data and the reality on the ground and make another decision: to commit to prosperity that is not based on exclusion, but on inclusion; not on exploitation, but on care; not on competition between those who have less, but on building together.

On Giving Tuesday, we invite you to do so in a very specific way:

  • With a one-off donation, to promote projects that are already generating employment, inclusion and sustainability.
  • With a regular donation, which allows for long-term planning and supports profound changes in the lives of many people.
  • Sharing with those around you why you support organisations such as ONGD SenValos and how you see generosity as an investment in our shared future.

Donating today is not ‘doing charity’. It is actively participating in the design of a more just, inclusive and prosperous society. On this Giving Tuesday, you decide which side of history you want to be on.