Ten years of immigration policy

Abstract

In the last ten years, Spain has turned from being a country of emigration to being a country of immigration. The Socialist Government decided that, in the social and work spheres, it should be one and the same institution —although renewed— which took charge of both aspects, emigration and immigration: the Instituto Español de Emigración was thus converted into the Dirección General de Migraciones. From the approval of the Law which regulates the Rights and Obligations of Foreigners (Ley de Extranjería) to the approval of the Plan for the Social Integration of Immigrants or the constitution of the Forum, a stretch sometimes full of obstacles has been covered, which, nonetheless, shows the evolution suffered by our society. The article is written from the standpoint of one who was responsible for articulating and executing this policy within the administration. In any case it is the memory, still fresh, of the projects, efforts and achievements of a committed team, politically backed and accompanied by trade unions, NGOs and Associations of Immigrants.