Amnestieregeling voor illegalen in Spanje leidt tot tienduizenden aanvragen (en)

During the first 16 days of Spain's amnesty programme, which allows people living illegally in Spain to apply for residency and gain work permission, 48,287 people have filed applications, the Spanish work and social affairs minister Jesus Caldera said.

Mr Caldera said he expects 255,000 people to apply for amnesty if the applications continue at the same pace until it closes 7 May, according to ABC.

Roughly 33.5 percent of the applicants are from Ecuador, 15.8 percent are Columbian, 13.2 percent are Moroccan and 13.1 percent are Romas.

Some 37 percent of the applications are from people who work in domestic households - this is the largest percentage.

According to Spanish President José Rodriguez Luis Zapatero, roughly 800,000 people work illegally in Spain.

"The process of normalization is a preventative form because a controlled immigration detracts from illegal immigration," Mr Zapatero told the Spanish parliament on Wednesday, Europa Press reported.

Spain amnesty programme is to be discussed by EU justice ministers on Thursday (24 February) - it caused some criticism in Germany and the Netherlands.

Ministers will discuss an alert system that will notify all member states when one, like Spain, is preparing an immigration policy that will affect the rest of the members.