Portugal Prohibits Migrant Workers From Remaining in the Country During Work Permit Application Process
Key Points
1. Portugal no longer allows irregular migrant workers to remain in the country while applying for work permits.
2. Authorities state the new changes align with European regulations.
3. Last month, Portugal implemented stricter measures to remove irregular residents.
Portuguese authorities have decided that migrant workers who enter the country irregularly can no longer stay while applying for a work permit.
Deputy Minister Rui Armindo Freitas, responsible for immigration policy, announced that the new regulations comply with European standards. However, a Deutsche Welle report highlights concerns from non-governmental organizations, which view the decision as a concession to right-wing populists opposed to immigration. They argue that the move exposes the long-standing disorganization in Portugal’s immigration policies.
Freitas explained that the option of arriving in Portugal first and then obtaining the necessary documents has led to a surge in irregular migration. He also noted that the backlog of approximately 400,000 legalization applications at Portugal’s immigration agency, AIMA, needs to be addressed urgently.
"The goal is to resolve the issues that have accumulated over the years," Freitas said, adding that the processing of these applications, some pending for up to two years, should be completed by June next year.
New Measures to Remove Irregular Residents:
In September, the Portuguese government approved the creation of the National Unit for Foreigners under the Public Security Police (PSP). António Leitão Amaro, the Minister of the Presidency, criticized the previous government's decision to dismantle the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), stating it left a gap in controlling illegal immigration.
Amaro emphasized, "We promised, and we have implemented, the establishment of the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders within the PSP."
In June, Portugal also announced the end of the path to legal status for foreign nationals entering the country irregularly, as part of its effort to strengthen immigration control. For 17 years, people holding valid European visas could regularize their status in Portugal, and in 2018, this was extended to those entering without visas. This practice has now been discontinued.
A previous report by the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) showed that the number of non-European immigrants to Portugal nearly doubled in the last five years.