Portugal’s new government tightens immigration rules

Portugal made a significant policy reversal on Monday, signalling a shift in its approach to immigration as it moves to tighten regulations and control the influx of newcomers.

The amendment abolishes a regulation that previously permitted non-EU migrants to relocate to Portugal without a job offer and subsequently apply for residency after contributing to social security for one year.

Under the revised policy, migrants are now required to secure employment prior to their arrival in the country.

Although Portugal has long been recognised for its relatively liberal immigration policies within Europe, recent political trends have seen a surge in right-wing sentiment, particularly regarding border management.

In his statement, newly-elected Prime Minister Luis Montenegro emphasized the need to curb the perceived exploitation of Portugal’s welcoming stance towards migrants.

He articulated, “put an end to… excessive abuse” of its migrant-friendly policies.

While acknowledging the importance of immigration in addressing Portugal’s demographic challenges, Montenegro underscored the necessity to strike a balance and “avoid the extremes.”

Over the past five years, the foreign population has doubled, reaching a milestone of one million individuals last year, accounting for a tenth of the nation’s total populace, as reported by provisional data from Aima, the agency for integration and migration.

Government records indicate that approximately 180,000 migrants were regularized last year, underscoring the scale of migration within the country.

However, the efficacy of administrative mechanisms to manage this influx has come under scrutiny.

The establishment of a government agency for migration last year, following the dissolution of the former border police, has been marred by staffing shortages and a burgeoning workload.

Prime Minister Montenegro acknowledged the deficiencies in the current system, asserting that the agency is “not working” and pledged a restructuring effort.

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