The measure, announced last week, builds on a 2024 Uruguayan policy that granted residency based on "rootedness" in the country. That earlier policy was successfully used by a few thousand Cubans before its eligibility window expired last year.
Under the new scheme, people who entered Uruguay before Jan. 1 and applied for asylum, even those whose applications were denied, are eligible. Uruguay has a population of around 3.5 million, making the regularization of tens of thousands of people a significant step.
The plan is also significant for Latin America more broadly, according to María Teresa Urueña, a migration policy expert at the Washington-based Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas.
"This is a show of leadership that should be celebrated," Urueña said. "It's a concrete response to the needs of asylum-seekers and Cubans in particular," and "it's a signal to other countries around the region that it's possible to set policies that lead to people's regularization, protection, and integration."
Uruguay has emerged as a leading destination for Cuban migrants alongside Brazil and Mexico, after the United States effectively shut all migration pathways for Cubans. Last year, around 100,000 Cubans applied for asylum in the three nations.
But applying for asylum does not guarantee it. Larissa Getirana, a coordinator at the Rio de Janeiro arm of the Catholic charity Caritas, noted that Cubans in Brazil risk having their asylum applications rejected when they cite economic reasons for migrating rather than political or religious persecution.
The announcement contrasts with recent moves by many Latin American governments, which have tightened their migration policies in line with the approach of U.S. President Donald Trump.