Immigration, the Ley de Extranjera and the Labour Market in Spain

In less than a decade, immigration has forced itself to the top of the political agenda in Spain. It now vies with Basque terrorism and unemployment as the issue that most concerns the Spanish public. Formerly a labour exporter, Spain is now a receiver society targeted by migrants from North and sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe. Immigration presents multi-faceted problems and challenges, encompassing changing identities and cultural diversity, demography and population change, racism and discrimination, foreign policy, human rights, and labour market integration among others. This article focuses on the tensions generated by the restriction and exclusion policies that have dominated the government's immigration management on the one hand, and the needs of the economy and employers on the other.