Spain’s labor minister has backtracked from a much criticized proposal to drastically slash the number of work visas available to migrant workers.

Labor Minister Celestino Corbacho had said it did not make sense to keep recruiting foreign workers when Spain has 2.5 million people unemployed. On Wednesday, Corbacho said the visas “will get close to zero,” drawing criticism from unions, immigrant groups and opposition parties.

He reversed his position late Friday, saying “I must have said something wrong,” adding that he didn’t mean to say that he would severely cut back on the number of work visas to migrant workers.