Following the announcement made on June 3, 2024, by the Portuguese Government, the new immigration rules in Portugal are now officially in effect.
These changes represent a significant revision of the legislation regulating immigration in the country, with the aim of promoting a more efficient migration policy aligned with the commitments made by Portugal and its European partners in the Schengen Area.
One of the most striking changes is the revocation of residence permit procedures based on manifestations of interest, which were introduced by a 2017 amendment to the law. The Government considered this possibility of regularizing immigrants without a consular visa as a “thoughtless” measure that compromised the principles of the Schengen Area.
This revocation may be followed by a possible parliamentary review of the law, with a transitional regime for pending applications, where those who applied before the new decree will be considered, or for cases where there are already work contracts and contributions to Social Security.
In addition, the decree-law now published includes a series of comprehensive measures to resolve pending issues and irregular situations, such as the creation of a “task force” to resolve the more than 400 thousand pending processes that migrated from the former SEF to the AIMA. The implementation of a national territory surveillance system to combat abuses and ensure compliance with immigration laws is also planned. As part of this announcement, issues related to the attraction of foreign talent were also addressed, with measures to improve the process of recognition of qualifications and competencies, promote the professional training of foreign citizens, among others.
Regarding human integration, measures will be implemented to increase vacancies in reception centers for asylum seekers and refugees, promote the professional integration of immigrants in the national labor market, and strengthen the teaching of Portuguese as a Non-Mother Tongue.
Institutional reorganization is also highlighted, with the creation of a Foreigners and Borders Unit in the PSP and the restructuring of the AIMA to reinforce operational capacity and immigrant assistance.
These changes reflect the Portuguese Government’s commitment to creating a more welcoming and efficient environment for immigrants while ensuring compliance with immigration laws and Portugal’s international commitments, obviously being a sensitive moment for those who have ongoing immigration bureaucratic processes.
If this is your case, this is a unique opportunity to turn to our Mobility Department to simplify the entire process.
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