Portugal’s New Immigration Law: What’s Happening

Significant Changes in Immigration Rules in Portugal

The Portuguese government has recently approved changes to its immigration law. These new rules are designed to regulate the increasing number of immigrants entering the country. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and his government state that the situation is becoming increasingly challenging to manage, especially in cities like Lisbon and rural areas, where many new arrivals are living in substandard housing conditions. They believe it’s time to act quickly to bring more order to the immigration system.

Over the past year, the number of immigrants in Portugal has increased significantly. In 2023, foreigners made up 10% of the population. Just one year later, they now represent 15 per cent. The government says that Portugal must remain open and welcoming, but also needs to be organised and realistic about how many people it can support at any given time.

Portugal Gets Tougher on Immigration – Full Update

The new law makes it more challenging to obtain Portuguese nationality. From now on, only the time spent legally in Portugal will count. If someone lived in the country without legal documents, that time will not help them apply for citizenship. The government says this is to ensure people have a genuine and responsible connection with Portugal before becoming citizens.

Another significant change concerns family reunification. In the past, immigrants could bring many family members to join them, like in-laws, cousins, and other relatives. Under the new law, only close family members, such as dependent children, will be allowed to join. The government claims this is to simplify and focus the process.

The new policy also plans to give job-seeker visas only to highly qualified workers. These will mostly be people with strong skills, such as professionals or those with Portuguese roots living abroad. Additionally, the government is considering making it mandatory to speak basic Portuguese to renew certain types of residence permits. This is intended to promote integration and effective communication.

To strengthen immigration control, the government will also establish a specialised unit within the Public Security Police (PSP) that will focus on border and immigration matters. The President has already approved this part of the plan.

Immigration Law Reform in Portugal Sparks Debate
However, many people are not happy with these changes. Left-wing political parties and immigrant support groups say the government made these decisions too quickly and without enough discussion. They believe the ruling party, AD, is being influenced by CHEGA, a far-right party known for its strict views on immigration. Critics are also concerned that the law may damage Portugal’s image, particularly among countries that share the Portuguese language, such as Brazil, Mozambique, and East Timor.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is now under pressure. He has the power to stop or delay these changes. Currently, he is meeting with various political groups to determine his next steps. He could refer the matter to the Constitutional Court to verify if everything is legal and fair. He has until Thursday to make that decision. After that, he still has 12 days to give his final answer.

Meanwhile, many immigrants are rushing to the offices of AIMA – Portugal’s immigration and asylum agency – trying to submit their documents before the new law comes into effect. For thousands of people, the next few days could change their lives forever.