Spain's migrant regularisation plan explained

At a time when immigration is a political flashpoint across much of Europe and beyond, Spain appears to be taking a different approach.
Around half a million undocumented migrants, including up to 150,000 in Catalonia, are set to benefit from the extraordinary regularisation announced by the Spanish government.
But why now? And how will it actually work?
Blanca Garcés, senior researcher at the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB), explains how the plan is expected to benefit domestic care and hospitality workers in Catalonia and enable irregular residents to obtain permits…