Spain is to impose two year labour movement restrictions on workers from new EU entrants Bulgaria and Romania.
On Tuesday Spanish foreign minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos said the limits would be implemented from January 1 next year.
The country is already host to up to 400,000 Romanians and 160,00 Bulgarians – many of them work illegally in the Spanish economy.
Madrid’s decision to limit intake comes hot on the heels of a similar move in London.
Romania and Bulgaria protested against the UK’s decision insisting that EU membership will not spark a massive influx of immigrants.
A spokesman for the federation of Romanian associations in Spain, told El Pais this week that Spanish fears are also unfounded.
“Fears of an avalanche of immigrants is baseless. What is true is that Romanians work here...and they want to do so legally and to pay taxes,” he said.
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