New ruling leaves 10´000 immigrants without papers

The arrival of immigrants to the Balearics has not slowed down despite the announcement that no residency or work permits requested after January 14 will be granted. This will affect an estimated 10'000 persons, who have either just arrived, or have been here some time but have not done anything about their papers. The central government has given orders to all its regional representatives to reject all requests presented after January 14. The figure of 10'000 was quoted by the CITE (Centre of Information for Foreign Workers) and is only an estimate, but the figure is rising every day, as the flow of immigrants has not slackened. CITE handles between ten and 15 enquiries a day from people who want to know how to go about obtaining papers. Immigrants from Peru and Chile are exempt from the ruling because of bilateral agreements, but their numbers are minimal. The possibility of the other workers obtaining permits today are virtually non-existent, as the quota of contracts is full. The only loophole left is domestic service, where guidelines are unclear at present. In this case, the central government has to calculate how many jobs are available and then decide how the jobs are to be filled. However, sources at CITE said that in principle, these vacancies will not go to people who do not have their residence permits in order, as there are nearly 7'000 cases of applications made last year to be resolved first. Josefina Santiago, the director of the Balearic Institute of Social Affairs, said that sooner or later the central government would have to devise a new system of processing papers, as the number of immigrants here illegally is on the increase, not just in the Balearics but throughout Spain. She said that the new orders from the government will promote an increase in clandestine workers “because it is clear that the best way of controlling immigration is the market itself, and if they continue to come it is because there is work.” She said that the Balearic government had been against the law on foreigners from the start because it not only infringes a series of constitutional rights, it is also difficult to apply. She said that proof of this was that immigrants continue to arrive and as they cannot regulate their situation, they live and work in an illegal manner.