Immigration numbers to be revised upward
With a backlog of 450,000 immigration cases, Portugal’s Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA) is taking drastic measures to accelerate the regularization process.
The number of immigrants in Portugal is set for a “very significant” upward revision in the coming weeks, according to Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro.
Speaking on the Antena 1 program Política com Assinatura, Minister Leitão Amaro emphasized the need for a debate on the capacity of public services to respond to growing migration.
The upcoming revision is expected to build on the latest figures from the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA), which reported a 33.6% increase in Portugal’s foreign resident population in 2023. According to AIMA’s September report, the number of legal foreign residents reached 1,044,606 by the end of last year.
The Minister clarified that these figures refer to a period before the current government assumed power.
Pending cases
He pointed to a backlog of 440,000 pending immigration cases that still need processing, adding that a substantial number of new applications were also submitted before recent policy changes closed the “expression of interest” route for residency.
Leitão Amaro further criticized what he described as “great irresponsibility” in immigration policy since 2017 under the Socialist government of António Costa.
The government introduced this week a financial incentive for AIMA employees, offering a monthly bonus of €860 for senior technicians and €616 for technical assistants who process at least 50 cases per day.
However, only fully resolved applications count toward the quota, putting significant pressure on workers.
Meanwhile, digital nomads in Portugal are caught in a bureaucratic dispute between AIMA and Social Security.
The agency requires these remote workers—who lack formal ties to Portuguese companies—to obtain a Social Security Identification Number (NISS) before receiving residence permits. However, Social Security argues that NISS registration is unnecessary for this group, creating a legal impasse.
Several lawyers have taken the matter to court, demanding that Social Security issue the NISS to affected workers.
Socialist proposals
A week after his interview with Expresso, which marked a shift in the Socialist Party’s stance on immigration and caused internal controversy, Socialist leader Pedro Nuno Santos unveiled a set of proposals aimed at filling the legal void left by the end of the “expression of interest” mechanism, previously implemented by António Costa’s government.
The proposals focus on expanding pathways for immigrant regularization, preventing undocumented status, and easing pressure on consulates. Here are five measures:
Reducing response times and ensuring that family reunification requests can be submitted at any time.
Strengthening the role of the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA) in coordination with employers seeking to hire immigrants, so that it can fully process applications in collaboration with consulates. According to PS leader Pedro Nuno Santos, this would “ease the burden on businesses and reduce pressure on consular services.” AIMA would also be responsible for cross-referencing information with Social Security and the Tax Authority to ensure the credibility of employers hiring foreign workers.
Mandatory registration with the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP) for immigrants with a job-seeking visa. Under this proposal, foreign nationals would be guaranteed an appointment with IEFP within the first 30 days of their visa’s validity. The PS argues that this direct contact with public administration would reduce immigrants’ dependence on trafficking networks and provide them with official job opportunities in Portugal. By implementing this measure, the Socialists aim to “facilitate migrant integration” by ensuring access to vocational training, labor rights information, and job opportunities.
Residence permits as an alternative to the “expression of interest” regime. This measure would apply to holders of short-term visas for seasonal work and certain temporary stay visas. This would include seasonal workers in fields such as research, education, or unpaid professional internships. These individuals would be allowed to apply for a residence permit while in Portugal, provided they have a valid job contract or a job offer. According to the Socialists, this would allow “immigrants already integrated into Portuguese society to regularize their status without unnecessary disruptions.”
Enhancing Portuguese language education as a “strategic pillar for ensuring the full participation of immigrants in the country's civic, social, and economic life.”
However, critics pointed out that this policy that has been in place for several years. In 2020, a government decree established Portuguese as a Host Language (PLA) courses. However, there are no public records of how many such courses are currently available. Many immigrants have criticized the existing system, citing difficulties in attending classes due to work schedules.
Reactions
The Diário de Notícias pointed out that of the seven measures proposed by the Socialist Party (PS), four are already in progress under the current government, one has existed for years, another is considered irrelevant in the Portuguese context, and the last has been failing since the PS was in power—and continues to do so.
Minister António Leitão Amaro responded to the proposals, calling four of them “good copies” of the government’s current migration plan.
He also warned against the PS’s suggestion to ease restrictions on family reunification, arguing that “allowing unlimited entry points would be problematic.”
Critics also pointed out that AIMA was created under the PS government without additional staff or upgraded IT systems, contributing to delays in processing applications.
The government’s response highlights ongoing negotiations with employers on “responsible recruitment” initiatives and efforts to accelerate the processing of residence permits.