Transformation of migration policies in Spain

Nowadays, all societies in the world are experiencing transformations related to immigration phenomenon. There is not any single country which can claim to have stayed out of this historical trend. Since the last quarter of the 20th century, Spain has begun to experience a profound demographic and social transformation related to immigration from many different countries and the position of Spain in the international migration system has changed significantly especially in the last two decades. Compared to its recent history, the multicultural society that has increased unexpectedly and surprisingly due to immigration movements in Spanish society has necessitated a series of important changes in the Spanish State. These new conditions affecting and conditioning the improvement of immigration policies in Spain, add up to the adaptation of legislation and public policies regarding the social integration of persons with a migrant background to the new demographic and social reality. In this thesis conducted within the quantitative research techniques, the transformation of 1985-2020 period immigration policies of Spain is analyzed from a legal-political perspective within Spain's liberal multiculturalist integration theory. In the light of official information and data, the hypothesis saying that the impact of these changes in Spain's migration policy on the social integration of immigrants is at an upper-moderate (positive) level is supported. Nonetheless, there are significant restraints in certain policy areas when it comes to ensuring stable integration in the long term. One of the matters that makes this study important is the fact that there is not any detailed academical study about this subject. Another matter is that the research sheds light on the related literature about what kind of regulations and practical applications are conducted regarding the social integration of immigrants in a European Union Member State.