Dealing with foreign nationals (inhabitants without Portuguese citizenship, regardless of their country of birth or ethnic background) in 2019 there were above 590,000 foreigners in Portugal. With the COVID-19 pandemic, that number went up to 661,000 at the end of 2020.[4] By January 2023 their number had soared to 781,915 people.[5] These figures do not include naturalizedforeign-born residents (about 342,521 resident foreigners acquired Portuguese citizenship from 2008 to 2022, of whom 20,844 did so in 2022[6][7][8]) as well as illegal immigrants. The number of illegal immigrants, or so-called imigrantes irregulares, is difficult to determine, and is thought to be around 300,000.[9][10][11][12]
Of the 781,915 legal residents not holding Portuguese citizenship living in Portugal in January 2023, 409,523 identified as male (52.37%), and 372,392 as female (47.63%).[5]
Immigrants in Portugal largely come from Latin America, Eastern Europe, Lusophone nations in Africa, and South Asia. Major groups of immigrants to Portugal include Brazilians, Ukrainians, Moldovans, Americans, Romanians, Russians, Chinese, Venezuelans, Angolans, Bissau-Guineans, Nepalis, Indians, Cape Verdeans, and São Toméans.Brazilians made up the largest foreign community in the country (239,744) followed by Britons (45,265) and Cape Verdeans (36,748).[5] The fourth largest, but the fastest growing, community of foreign residents in Portugal was represented by Indians; as of 2023 there were 35,416 foreigners holding Indian citizenship, a 626% increase since 2012.[14] It is worth noting that almost 9,000 Indians living in Portugal have acquired Portuguese citizenship since 2012: more than the number of Indians living in the country in 2012.[7] The majority of Indians living in Portugal are from the former Portuguese colony of Goa or from Gujarat.[15][16]
As of 2023, foreign citizens' origins were subdivided as follows: Europe (33.5%), America (33.1%), Asia (17.3%), Africa (16%) and Oceania (0.1%).[5]
The share of children born in Portugal to foreign resident mothers stood at 10.3% in 2011, 9.7% in 2017 and 16.7% in 2022.[17][18][19] Dealing with children born from foreign-born mothers, their share reached 25% in 2022.[20]
Due to population ageing, immigration is the only factor that has made the Portuguese population grow in recent years. For instance, despite the natural change from 2018 to 2022 being -176,021 people (meaning that in the given timespan the number of deaths exceeded the number of newborns by almost 180 thousand people) the overall population grew by 133,870 people, from 10,333,496 inhabitants as of 2018 to 10,467,366 in 2022. It is safe to say that the 1.3% growth rate experienced by the population of Portugal in the last five years was entirely due to immigration. Many scholars have pointed that, without immigration, the country's population could shrink to as low as 7 million people by 2100. Moreover, Catarina Reis Oliveira, the director of the Migration Observatory, highlights in a study that without immigrants, certain sectors of society would face collapse. Immigrants are essential for labor market efficiency, with foreigners in countries like Portugal displaying higher activity rates than nationals, as per the 2022 Annual Statistical Report of the Observatory.[21][22][23][24][25]
Portugal, for long a country of emigration, has become a meeting country of net immigration, and not just from the last Portuguese overseas territories in India (until 1961), Africa (until 1975), and Far East Asia (until 1999).
Retornados, return migration and first immigrant communities: 1954–1989
In 1954, India annexed the Portuguese territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and, in 1961, Daman and Diu and Goa. In the same year, the authorities of the newly independent Benin expelled the small Portuguese garrison holding the Fort of São João Baptista de Ajudá, in Ouidah. Some people, especially white Portuguese settlers and people of mixed Portuguese descent, started migrating towards Portugal immediately after these events. An important share of those coming from India and settling in Portugal flew via Karachi, a city hosting an important Goan community. Among those moving to Portugal there were also 3,000 Portuguese military officers.[26][27][28][29][30][31] According to a 2017 estimate by Casa de Goa - the association of Goans in Portugal - there were around 20,000 people of Goan descent living in the European country, although other estimates claim the community may have as much as 50,000 members.[32][33][34] The overwhelming majority of Goan-Portuguese speak Portuguese as native language and are Catholic, thus easing the integration process that occurred manly in the 1960s, following the annexation of Goa by the Indian Union.[35][36][37] Despite being just a fraction of the total number of Indians in Portugal (around 16% of the overall Indian community) Goans in Portugal are known for being fairly well integrated: already in the 19th century there were Goan MPs (e.g. Francisco Gomes) and in 1958 there were 23 university professors and 19 politicians of Goan descent. Interestingly, of the 13 Prime Ministers in Portuguese democratic history, 2 were of Goan descent (Alfredo Nobre da Costa and António Costa).[38][39][40] Unlike in the United Kingdom Goans in Portugal are mainly of upper class extraction and are highly qualified, who migrated on merit, before and in the years after liberation. Later, they were joined by migrants of Goan descent, from the African colonies, especially Mozambique.[41][42][43][44][45][46] On the other hand, Gujarati speakers from Daman and Diu tend to show lower level of integration, with a large community found in Marvila, Lisbon.[47][48]
A major immigrant influx was recorded starting in 1974, when over a million Portuguese citizens from Portugal's African territories (mostly from Angola and Mozambique) migrated to Portugal.[49] They are known and are still referred as retornados (meaning "those who came back") — Portuguese settlers and descendants of Portuguese (or other European such as Germans or Italians) settlers born in former African colonies who relocated to Portugal after their independence and in the first half of the 1980s. Due to the Portuguese colonization, white and mestiço people were frowned upon, in many cases white Luso-Africans experienced racist incidents. In particular, due to the outbreak of the Angolan Civil War, Portuguese in Angola left en masse, often having to leave all of their possessions behind and being allowed to exit the country with only 15,000 escudos to start a new life; this is the equivalent of approximately euros (€) 2,750 as of 2022. Of those leaving Mozambique, many of the retornados were part of the Indian community in the country.[50][51][52][53][54][55]
Along with white retornados there were also some Black people, whose immigration process towards Portugal became visible especially after the Portuguese economic growth in the second half of the 1980s and the worsening of the conditions in Angola and Mozambique due to the civil wars.. One of the primary settlement areas for Black communities in Portugal , especially the Cape Verdean one, were the lands north of Lisbon, near the present-day parish of Benfica. Starting from the 1970s, numerous clandestine neighborhoods (bairros clandestinos) emerged here, often lacking basic services and plagued by crime-related issues.[56] From 1993 onwards, with Portugal's slum eradication program, many people have been provided with alternative public housing and, despite the initial discrimination, many have nowadays found success.[57][58][59]
Since the 1990s, along with a boom in construction, several waves of Ukrainians, Brazilians, people from the former Portuguese colonies in Africa and other Africans have settled in the country. Those communities currently make up the largest share of immigrants in Portugal and many have since acquired Portuguese citizenship. In particular, Ukrainian migration to Portugal commenced in the late 1990s, experiencing significant growth in the early 2000s. Initially, immigrants arrived through both organized and illegal channels, often with Schengen visas. While some initially intended short stays, many chose long-term residence, establishing families and pursuing the recognition of their qualifications for access to higher-paying jobs.[62][63][64]
In addition, Romanians, Moldovans, Chinese and Indians also started to choose Portugal as a destination starting in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Moreover, it is important to highlight that in 1999 Macau was returned to China (Handover of Macau) and many Macanese moved to Portugal: in a 1989 survey, 65% of the Macanese people were planning to leave Macau for Portugal or elsewhere.[65][66][67] According to a 1991 survey 70% of Macanese were planning to move elsewhere, with 63.5% of these planning to move to Portugal. In 1991 there were already 500 Macanese families living in Lisbon.[68][69][70][71]
Financial crisis and economic recession: 2008–2013
Immigration to Portugal decreased significantly after the dire consequences of the 2008 financial crisis. At the same time, emigration of both Portuguese and foreign nationals increased. Dealing with the Ukrainian community, for instance, declining investment in public projects and improved immigration control prompted many Ukrainians to leave.[72]
Between 2008 and 2013 unemployment rate in Portugal rose from 7.6% to 17.1%[73] and 2013 GDP was 7.60% lower than the value recorded for 2007 GDP.[74] Moreover, between 2007 and 2013 there was a 10.35% inflation rate, meaning that the Purchasing power of Portuguese families decreased significantly.[75] From 2008 to 2013, around 412,000 people left the country (51.2% did so permanently).[76] Of those who left the country 5.47% (22,547 people) were foreigners and 65.3% of the foreigners doing so left the country permanently. This means that 3.9% of the 2008 population left the country in just 6 years.
In fact, Portugal reached its historical population peak in 2009 when 10,573,479 people lived in the country: this value decreased to 10,395,121 people (−1.7%) at the end of 2013, due to the combined effect of increased emigration, decreasing immigration and population ageing.[77] It is significant to highlight that only 140,845 people immigrated to Portugal between 2008 and 2013 meaning that the country experienced a net migration loss of around −271,000. In particular, in 2012 less than 15,000 immigrants settled in Portugal.[78]
With the ease of the economic crisis and increase in tourism and industrial production, immigration increased again after 2013.
Economic recovery, NHR, EU pensioners, Golden Visa and Sephardi Jews: 2014–2019
Following the recovery of the Portuguese economy starting in 2014, immigration to Portugal increased once again. From 2014 to 2019, emigration decreased by 42.8% while immigration increased by 413%.[78]
Between 2013 and 2019 the unemployment rate in Portugal fell from 17.1% to 6.6%[73] and 2019 GDP was 14.35% higher than the value recorded for 2013 GDP. It is also worth noting that the value recorded for 2019 GDP was 5.71% higher than the one recorded in 2007: Portugal officially recovered from the Financial crisis and the troika austerity measures in 2017.[74] Moreover, between 2014 and 2019 the increase in prices was modest (the country recorded a 3.54% inflation rate), meaning that the Purchasing power of Portuguese families increased significantly.[75]
During these years, almost 573,000 people left the country: despite Portugal's reputation as an economic success story since the financial crisis, many young, educated workers are still more attracted by significantly higher wages in countries such as the United Kingdom, France or Switzerland.[79] On the other hand, it is significant to note that the share of those leaving permanently fell to 38.4%, meaning that high skilled workers are, after 2013, more willing to come back to Portugal after having acquired some years of experience, typically in Northern European countries.[76] As a measure to revert skill-drain, population decrease and ageing, the government has since created new measures to attract Portuguese emigrants to return home.[80]
Of those who left the country 3.96% (22,685 people) were foreigners but only 31.4% of them left the country permanently. This means that although 5.5% of the 2013 population left the country in 6 years (2014-2019), the majority of them - or 61.6% - did so temporarily, meaning for less than one year.[77] After 2014 the country's population decline rate started to slow. The population still fell to 10,333,496 people in 2018 - equivalent to the country's population in January 2000 - but it was mostly due to population ageing. On the other hand, it is worth noting that by the end of 2019, due increasing immigration, Portugal's population had recovered the value recorded in 2014 (around 10,395,000).[77]
It is significant to highlight that around 295,000 people immigrated permanently to Portugal between 2014 and 2019. In particular, 51.1% of those who settled in Portugal in this period did so between 2018 and 2019.[78] The surge in immigration was due to the good economic conditions of the country, to the crisis in Brazil (the primary source of immigration in Portugal) and to numerous programs devised during the years of the 2008–2013 crisis aimed at attracting foreign capitals: these include the Non-habitual residency (NHR) taxation law (2009), the Portuguese Golden Visa law (2012), and the Sephardi Nationality Act (2015).
The Portuguese government has thus not only developed strategies aiming at calling back Portuguese emigrants but also at attracting foreign citizens.
It is with this goal that in 2009 was devised a program that has attracted foreigners, particularly since 2013: it is the special tributary regime that grants to certain categories of new residents a flat tax and protects them from double taxation (NHR).[81] Many pensioners, especially from Northern European countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Finland and Norway have taken advantage of the law and moved to Portugal. Due to increased pressure from the countries of origin of the retirees as well as from the local Portuguese population (subject to a different taxation system) the program was drastically changed.[82][83][84][85][86] Nevertheless, pensioners continue coming to Portugal thanks to the high quality of life, Mediterranean climate and sunny weather.
Another program is the Golden visa law, devised in 2012. It is an immigrant investor program by the government of Portugal that granted residency in Portugal to people who invested in properties worth at least €500,000 or created 10 jobs in Portugal.[87] As of September 2023 the program has resulted in 33,142 residence permits granted, of which 38.4% to investors and 61.6% to their family members. 42.5% of the investors who have benefited from the program came from China, other significant countries include Brazil (9.88%), the US (6.14%), Turkey (4.82%) and South Africa (4.51%). Around 6.5 billioneuros (€) were invested in the acquisition of 11,383 real estate properties (for a mean value of 566,754 €), but only 23 jobs were created.[88] In addition, around 867 million euros (€) were transferred to Portugal.[89] Due to the overwhelming majority of Golden visas being issued because of investments solely and exclusively dedicated to real estate and there being a very low investment in job creation and other activities adding value to the economy, the program has been cancelled in July 2023.[90][91]
A last measure that has boosted immigration to Portugal has been the law aimed at the descendants of Portuguese Jews expelled in 1496. In 2015 the Portuguese parliament officially acknowledged the expulsion as unrightful. To try to make up for the past mistakes, the government passed a law known as "Law of Return".[92] The law aims to right the historic wrongs of the Portuguese Inquisition, which resulted in the expulsion or forced conversion of thousands of Jews from Portugal in the 15th and 16th centuries. The law grants citizenship to any descendants of those persecuted Jews who can prove their Sephardic Jewish ancestry and a "connection" to Portugal. It is intended to provide a measure of justice and recognition to those whose families suffered from discrimination and persecution centuries ago.[93][94][95][96] Since 2015, more than 262,000 people from 60 countries (mostly from Israel or Turkey) applied to Portuguese citizenship in virtue of them being of Sephardic descent, of which 75,000 (or 28.63% of the applicants) were granted Portuguese passports.[97][98][99][100][101] According to a 2023 estimate, there might be already 15,000 Portuguese-Israelis living in Portugal.[102] Despite the good intentions of the law, some doubts arose over the legitimate attribution of Portuguese citizenship after it was revealed that people such as Russian oligarchRoman Abramovich were Portuguese – thus EU – citizens under the new law. Due to the controversies and the recent judicial investigations the law will come to an end starting in December 2024.[103][104][105][106][107][108][109][110]
COVID-19 pandemic and increase in immigration: 2020–2022
Immigration to Portugal has steadily increased in the last years. At the beginning of 2020 there were 590,348 foreigners living in the country, their number increased to 662,095 at the end of 2020, to 698,887 at the end of 2021 and up to 781,915 at the end of 2022. This means that the relative incidence of foreigners has increased from 5.7% to 7.5% in just 3 years. From December 2019 to December 2022 the number of foreigners increased by 32.4%.
Some immigrant communities, like those arrived from Africa and South America, are growing as a result of economic migration – foreigners looking for better economic conditions abroad. The outlook of the economy of Portugal is good, unemployment remains stable and in line with the rest of the EU. In fact, since 2018 Portugal has recorded a lower unemployment rate than that recorded in both the Eurozone and the EU as a whole. For instance, in 2022 the unemployment rate in Portugal stood at 6%, while for the EU and the Eurozone the recorded values were respectively 6.2% and 6.8%.[73][114] In addition, despite suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic, the GDP recorded for 2022 was 3.22% higher than in 2019.[74]
Other immigrant communities, like most of those arrived from other EU member states, are a result of the attractiveness of the country for high income foreign citizens looking for a better quality of life, a warmer sunny weather, security and exquisite cuisine.
From 2020 to 2022 around 205,909 people emigrated from Portugal, continuing the decrease in emigration recorded since 2014. This means that 2.0% of the 2019 population left the country in the last 3 years but 60.2% did so temporarily, meaning for less than one year.[77] Moreover, it is worth noting that almost 300,000 people entered the country permanently since 2019, a sharp increase and the largest influx of immigrants ever recorded in Portugal since the 1980s.[78]
Despite the surge in immigration, it is, however, worth noting that in 2023, Portugal was still the European country with the most emigrants in relative terms. In the last 20 years,15 per cent of the population emigrated. Portugal had the highest proportion of emigrants in Europe and ranked eighth globally in terms of the percentage of its population who migrated.[115][116][117]
Lusophone migrants act and end of Golden visa, NHR and nationality for Sephardi Jews: 2023–present
It is expected that the number of foreigners will further increase in the next few years: in early 2023, Portugal regularized around 113,000 CPLP citizens residing illegally in the country.[118][119] By September the number of Portuguese-speaking immigrants who have received an "authorisation of residence" -valid for one year and automatically renewed for those with clean criminal record - had reached 151,000 people, of whom 75% are Brazilians.[120][121][122][123] In total, it was reported that in February 2023 around 300,000 foreigners who live illegally in Portugal were awaiting regularization.[12] By November of the same year, the number of those awaiting for regularization had soared to 700,000 people.[124]
The Portuguese government had introduced, since the 2008 financial crisis, a number of measures aimed at attracting foreign capitals to the country. In particular, there have been the Non-habitual residency (NHR) taxation law (2009), the Portuguese Golden Visa law (2012), and the Sephardi Nationality Act (2015). Due to both international and internal pressure but also due to the economic recovery of the country, in 2023 it was announced that all three programs would have been phased out by the end of 2024.
The NHR, a scheme offering a flat tax and protection from double taxation for specific categories of new residents relocating to Portugal, underwent significant changes in 2020. This adjustment was prompted by an influx of pensioners, particularly from Nordic countries, who were moving to Portugal to take advantage of a fiscal regime that was deemed disadvantageous to their home countries. The Portuguese government has announced the end the 10-year tax incentive regime for non-permanent residents, including digital nomads, in 2024. Prime Minister António Costa stated that the regime will persist for current beneficiaries. Costa argued that maintaining differentiated tax levels for non-permanent residents would perpetuate fiscal injustice and inflate the real estate market. As of July 2023, 89,000 foreigners were benefiting from the non-permanent resident tax regime.[125][126][127]
Regarding the Golden Visa program, initiated in 2012, was officially terminated in October 2023 due to the Mais Habitação program, and new applications are no longer being accepted. The decision to end the program, aimed at foreigners purchasing real estate, was influenced by the escalating housing prices. The new law doesn't impact renewals but marks the end of new permits for investment activities. The Mais Habitação program, which faced opposition but was approved in July, includes measures like rent caps and restrictions on property sales to non-residents, leading to public protests.[128] There are still around 21,000 pending processes, of which around two thirds deal with family reunification.[129]
In 2023 it was also announced the end of the Law permitting people of Portuguese-Jewish descent to acquire Portuguese citizenship. Since 2013 around 262,000 people have requested to be naturalized as Portuguese citizens due to their Sephardi ancestry, with almost half being Israeli nationals. Of these, more than 75,000 have already acquired the Portuguese citizenship. Since the announcement of the end of the law in 2023, around 74,000 people have started their application process.[130][131][132] Amongst those who have acquired Portuguese citizenship there are 12 Israeli national football players.[133]
Despite the end of the abovementioned programs, the number of foreign nationals living in Portugal has witnessed a significant increase during 2023: by September there were 980,000 foreigners living in Portugal.[134] By October, the number had increased to a further 1,090,000 people, a 40% increase since January of the same year.[135] Of the foreigners living in Portugal, 400,000 were Brazilians: taking into account also Luso-Brazilians nationals and Brazilians awaiting for regularization, there are 750,000 Brazilians estimated living in Portugal.[136] It is also worth noting that in July 2023 the Portuguese government sent abroad - for the first time - officials to recruit workers in India, Morocco, Timor-Leste and Cabo Verde.[137]
Brazilians are the most prevalent foreign nationality. The 239,744 resident Brazilians represent 2.29% of the total population. Other significant foreign communities (excluding naturalized citizens) are the ones from other countries of the Lusosphere. In 2023 there were 110,517 from PALOP countries (Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Principe, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde) as well as from Timor-Leste and Macau, corresponding to 1.06% of the total population.[5]
In addition, there is a thriving community of people from the Indian subcontinent (chiefly Indians and Nepalis) adding up to 86,698 people or 0.83% of total population.
A number of EU citizens have also chosen Portugal as a destination, with the majority being part of the British, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Belgian or Swedish communities. These communities are mostly composed of persons looking for quality of life and include an increasing number of pensioners.
The following table shows the evolution of the number of foreigners whose residence is legally registered in Portugal from January 2008 to January 2016. The table considers the most frequent foreign nationalities found in the country and deals with foreigners only, thus excluding those who have acquired Portuguese citizenship, their descendants and people with migrant background.[143]
During the given timespan, the number of foreigners in Portugal fell from 446,333 to 388,731, recording a 12.89% loss in eight years. In fact, Portugal was particularly hit by the 2008 Global recession. It is indeed worth noting that between 2008 and 2013, Portugal experienced a notable uptick in its unemployment rate, escalating from 7.6% to 17.1%. The GDP in 2013 saw a marked 7.60% decline compared to its 2007 value. During this period, inflation reached 10.35%, substantially eroding the purchasing power of Portuguese households. Of those who were obliged to leave the country 5.47% or 22,547 people were foreign nationals and 65.3% of the foreigners doing so left the country permanently.[73][75][74] Despite the crisis and the subsequent emigration, one of the main reasons for the reduction in the number of foreigners in Portugal is due to the high number of naturalisations: 179,458 foreigners became Portuguese from January 2008 to December 2015.[8]
Dealing with the main foreign communities, one can see that:[8]
Communities whose decline is mostly attributable to citizenship acquisition:
Between 2008 and 2016, the Cape Verdean population in Portugal decreased by 25,993. Yet, during the same period, 31,970 Cape Verdeans gained Portuguese citizenship, resulting in a net gain of 5,977 of recent Cape Verdean migrant background;
From 2009 to 2016, the number of Ukrainians in Portugal fell by 16,715. However, 18,206 Ukrainians became Portuguese citizens, resulting in a net increase of 1,491 people of recent Ukrainian migrant background;
Between 2008 and 2016, the Angolan community in Portugal reduced by 14,572, but 14,945 Angolans acquired Portuguese citizenship, maintaining the community of of recent Angolan migrant background size;
From 2010 to 2016, the Guinean-Bissau community shrank by 7,948, yet 16,284 Guinean-Bissauans became Portuguese, resulting in a net growth of 8,336 of recent Guinean-Bissau migrant background;
From 2009 to 2016 the São Tomé e Príncipe community declined by 2,171 people. Since during the same timespan 7,185 Senegalese acquired Portuguese citizenship, the community of people of recent São Tomé e Príncipe migrant background in the country actually increased by 5,014 people;
From 2009 to 2016 the Senegalese community declined by 558 people. Since during the same timespan 1,205 Senegalese acquired Portuguese citizenship, the community of people of recent Senegalese migrant background in the country actually increased by 647 people;
From 2010 to 2016, the Georgian community decreased by 445. However, 644 Georgians gained Portuguese citizenship, resulting in a net growth of 199 people of recent Georgian migrant background;
Between 2009 and 2016, the Guinean community in Portugal decreased by 325. Nevertheless, 2,201 Guineans became Portuguese citizens, leading to a net increase of 1,876 of recent Guinean migrant background;
Between 2009 and 2016, the Belarusian community shrank by 384. Yet, 412 Belarusians became Portuguese citizens, maintaining community size;
From 2009 to 2016, the Ecuadorian community fell by 211. Nevertheless, 289 Ecuadorians acquired Portuguese citizenship, keeping the community size stable.
Communities whose decline is mostly attributable to other factors such as emigration:
Between January 2011 and January 2016, the number of Brazilians residing in Portugal decreased by 36,773. During the same period, 26,100 Brazilians acquired Portuguese nationality, indicating that, considering both natural changes (such as births and deaths) and the influx of migrants, Portugal saw a net loss of 10,673 Brazilians;
From 2009 to 2016 the Moldovan community in Portugal declined by 14,199 people: this is mostly attributable to the fact that 14,082 Moldovans became Portuguese during the given period, even though the migration surplus suggests a net decrease of 117 Moldovans.
Between 2008 and 2016 the number of English people fell by 6,341. Since only 127 Britons became Portuguese nationals during the same period, this means the British community fell by 6,214 people;
Between 2008 and 2016 the number of Mozambicans fell by 3,145. Since 1,615 Mozambicans became Portuguese nationals during the same period, this means the Mozambican community fell by 1,530 people;
Between 2008 and 2016 the number of French people fell by 2,099. Since only 178 French became Portuguese nationals during the same period, this means the French community fell by 1,921 people.
The following table shows the evolution of the number of foreign residents from January 2016 to January 2023. The table considers the most frequent foreign nationalities found in the country and deals with foreigners only, thus excluding those who have acquired Portuguese citizenship, their descendants and people with migrant background.[143]
During the given timespan, the number of foreigners in Portugal rose from 388,731 to 781,915, recording a 101.15% growth in seven years. Not only the level of foreigners in Portugal recovered the pre-crisis figure but, since 2019, it has even surpassed it. In fact in 2019 there were almost half a million foreign people living in Portugal, an historical record.[155] Between 2013 and 2023, Portugal's unemployment rate declined from 17.1% to 6.1%,[156] and the 2022 GDP increased by 18.45% compared to the 2013 GDP, despite the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent crisis due to lockdown. It is noteworthy that the 2022 GDP was 9.5% higher than the 2007 figure, marking Portugal's official recovery from the financial crisis and troika austerity measures in 2017. Additionally, from 2014 to 2019, there was modest price growth, with a 3.54% inflation rate. This led to a notable improvement in the purchasing power of Portuguese families.[73][75][74]
The surge in the number of foreigners is explainable by the recovery of the Portuguese economy, special programs aimed at attracting foreigners such as Golden Visa program and the stagnation of the Brazilian economy, with Brazilians being the largest immigrant group in the European country.
Dealing with the main foreign communities, one can see that:[8]
The overwhelming majority of the communities experienced a significant increase since 2016; this is the case for instance, for the following countries:
Brazil: Brazilians grew by 157,154 people or +190,2% since 2016. In addition 51,533 Brazilians became Portuguese since January 2016;
India: Indians grew by 28,481 or +410.7% since 2016. In addition 6,840 Indians became Portuguese since January 2016;
Italy: Italians grew by 27,909 or +455.3% since 2016. In addition 245 Italians became Portuguese since January 2016;
France: French grew by 19,071 or +225.9% since 2016. In addition 277 French became Portuguese since January 2016;
Nepal: Nepalis grew by 19,051 or +397.1% since 2016. In addition 6,011 Nepalis became Portuguese since January 2016;
Bangladesh: Bangladeshis grew by 13,897 or +540.5% since 2016. In addition 3,326 Bangladeshis became Portuguese since January 2016;
Germany: Germans grew by 11,465 or +126.9% since 2016. In addition 210 Germans became Portuguese since January 2016;
Spain: Spaniards grew by 9,489 or +94.7% since 2016. In addition 340 Spaniards became Portuguese since January 2016;
Pakistan: Pakistanis grew by 7,786 or +256% since 2016. In addition 2,839 Pakistanis became Portuguese since January 2016;
US: US citizens grew by 7,175 or +274% since 2016. In addition 333 US citizens became Portuguese since January 2016;
Venezuela: Venezuelans grew by 6,926 or +344.6% since 2016. In addition 1,970 Venezuelans became Portuguese since January 2016;
Netherlands: Dutch people grew by 6,211 or +106.1% since 2016. In addition 65 Dutch became Portuguese since January 2016;
Of the foreign communities experiencing a population decline, this is mostly attributable to citizenship acquisition as in the case of:
Ukrainians: their number fell by 10,334 since 2016, but is worth noting that 14,032 Ukrainians became Portuguese in the same timespan;
Cape Verdeans: their number fell by 1,926 since 2016, but is worth mentioning that 23,139 Cape Verdeans became Portuguese during the same period;
Moldovans: their number fell by 1,705 since 2016, but is worth noting that 2,900 Moldovans naturalised as Portuguese since 2016;
Guineans: their number fell by 344 since 2016, but is worth noting that 1,031 Guineans received Portuguese IDs since 2016;
Turks: their number fell by 151 since 2021, but is worth noting that 216 Turks received Portuguese nationality since 2021
A minor part of the foreign communities also experienced decline, which is not exclusively attributable to citizenship acquisition but to a combination of declining birth rate and higher emigration than immigration. This is, for instance, the case of:
Romania: Since 2020 the number of Romanians in Portugal decreased by 7,671 but the number of Romanians acquiring Portuguese citizenship stood at 1,242;
China: Since 2020 the number of Chinese in Portugal decreased by 5,675 but the number of Chinese acquiring Portuguese citizenship stood at 412;
Bulgaria: Since 2018 the number of Bulgarians fell by 1,894 but the number of Bulgarians becoming Portuguese stood at 292;
United Kingdom: Since 2021 the number of Britons fell by 974 but the number of Britons becoming Portuguese stood at 354;
Finland: Since 2020 the number of Finns fell by 61 but the number of Finns becoming Portuguese stood at only 3
The following table deals with the number of foreigners from selected communities in selected years, as well as their relative growth during specific timespans.
Many earlier immigrants have now become naturalized citizens: 342,521 people from 2008 to 2022,[170] corresponding roughly to 3.27% of total population. However, there are still 781,915 foreign citizens resident in Portugal as of January 2023, accounting for 7.47% of Portugal population.
The number of foreigners from Ukraine (25,445), Romania (23,393), Moldova (5,243) and Bulgaria (5,139) has been dropping steadily since 2011; there have been many naturalized Portuguese citizens with these backgrounds; respectively: 32,722 Ukrainians, 6,922 Romanians, 19,212 Moldovans and 1,117 Bulgarians have become Portuguese citizens from 2008 to 2022.
Below is a summary table of Portuguese citizenship acquisitions recorded between 2008 and 2022 for countries having recorded at least 25 naturalisations during the given timespan. During this period, 342,521 people (3.27% of the current Portuguese population) obtained Portuguese citizenship according to the latest Eurostat data. These people are not counted among foreigners (see above table) as they are Portuguese citizens in all respects.[171]
Interestingly, the first 30 countries for number of naturalised Portuguese citizens account for 96.92% of all naturalisations of foreign residents that occurred in Portugal from 2008 to 2022.
In 2006 the Portuguese government made it easier for second generation immigrants to gain citizenship to prevent illegal immigration.[172][173] There are now estimated to be 260,000 immigrants from Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova in Portugal, half of these illegal. Many work in agriculture and services.[174][175][176]
Illegal immigration rose by 55% in 2009, with most of the illegals being Brazilian nationals.[177] Employers of illegal immigrants in Portugal face jail terms.[178]
The said decree annihilated the thriving Jewish culture in the country and up to the XIX century, when the Portuguese Inquisition ceased to exist, no synagogues were officially allowed to operate in the country. Some Jews started arriving in the early 1800s, particularly from Gibraltar or Northern Africa. The largest influx of Jews was recorded during WWII, when thousands of Jews fled Nazi persecution and came to neutral Portugal. The overwhelming majority of them subsequently settled in Israel, the US, Brazil or returned to their home countries.[182][183][184][185][186][187][188]
Portugal's "Law on Nationality" amendment allows descendants of Portuguese Jews expelled during the Inquisition to gain citizenship within a Sephardic community of Portuguese origin with ties to Portugal. In 2020, there were proposed changes, requiring a two-year residency for citizenship, but these were rejected by the Socialist party.
This amendment made Portugal the second country, after Israel, to adopt a Jewish Law of Return, with Spain later following suit. Introduced by the Socialist and Center Right parties, it received unanimous approval in April 2013 and took effect on March 1, 2015.[189][190]
Applicants must prove Sephardic surnames in their family tree and a connection to the Portuguese Sephardic community, often verified by an orthodox rabbi. The language spoken at home, including Ladino, is also considered.[191]
An intriguing feature of this law is its exemption from the typical six-year consecutive residency requirement for citizenship. Since 2015, hundreds of Turkish Jews with Sephardic ancestry have moved to Portugal and obtained citizenship. In 2017, nearly 1,800 descendants of Sephardic Jews were granted Portuguese nationality. By November 2020, Portugal had granted citizenship to approximately 23,000 people, constituting about 30% of the 76,000 applications submitted since 2015.[192][193][194][195][196]
To combat fraudulent claims, the Portuguese government enacted a decree-law on March 9, 2022, increasing scrutiny for applicants, emphasizing a substantial connection with Portugal. Notably, these changes did not apply retroactively to those already granted citizenship, including individuals like Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. As of January 2023, the number of pending cases had risen to over 300,000, underscoring the significant interest and impact of this amendment.[197][198][199][200][201]
In recent years, thousands of Israelis, as well as Turkish Jews and Brazilian Jews, have been able to prove that they are descended from Jews expelled from Portugal in 1497 and have thus have acquired Portuguese citizenship.[202][203][204]
In particular, from 2015 to 2021 56,619 people who claimed Sephardic ancestry were able to obtain Portuguese citizenship.[205] Amongst them, 54,402 or 96.08% did not live in Portugal. The five most common nationalities of those applying and succeeding in the naturalisation process were:
Israel: 42,080 Israelis became Portuguese on the ground of their Sephardic heritage; of those naturalising 95.87% or 40,343 did not live in Portugal at the time of their naturalisation
Turkey: 5,819 Turks became Portuguese on the ground of their Sephardic heritage; of those naturalising 98.25% or 5,717 did not live in Portugal at the time of their naturalisation
Brazil: 4,087 Brazilians became Portuguese on the ground of their Sephardic heritage; of those naturalising 94.47% or 3,861 did not live in Portugal at the time of their naturalisation
Argentina: 1,722 Argentines became Portuguese on the ground of their Sephardic heritage; of those naturalising 96.34% or 1,659 did not live in Portugal at the time of their naturalisation
United States of America: 551 US citizens became Portuguese on the ground of their Sephardic heritage; of those naturalising 97.28% or 536 did not live in Portugal at the time of their naturalisation
Nationals of the five said countries naturalising as Portuguese citizens thanks to the 2015 Law totalled 54,259 people or 95.83% of those acquiring Portuguese citizenship due to their Jewish ethnic background up to 2021.
Immigration by investment
Another group of immigrants, especially among Non-European citizens, can avail the chance of residing in Portugal by making a financial investment. RBI (Residency by Investment) schemes, also called "golden visa" or "golden passport", offer Non-European citizens a residency and work permit inside Europe. According to RBI programs operated by a handful of Member States of EU, Non-European citizens can have access to residency or citizenship in exchange for specified investments in the country.
Under Portugal's Golden Visa program, which has been in service since 8 October 2012, the Portuguese government grants a residence permit to those who invest an amount of at least €350,000 which is maintained for at least (a continuous) five years.
Below there are flag maps showing, from left to right, the five most numerous foreign communities present in each Portuguese district as of January the 1st 2022 according to official Portuguese data. These numbers take into account only foreigners - thus excluding Portuguese people of foreign background - who reside legally and permanently in Portugal.[206]
Flag maps of the five most important foreign communities in each Portuguese district as of 01.01.22
Flag map of the most common foreign nationality in Portugal per each district. One can see the importance of the Brazilian immigration as well as the influx of Venezuelans in Madeira, Britons in Algarve and Indians in Beja
Flag map of the fourth most common foreign nationality in Portugal in every district. Angolans and Eastern Europeans (such as Ukrainians in Santarém) are present nationwide
Flag map of the fifth most common foreign nationality in Portugal in every district. One can appreciate the presence of the Chinese near the Spanish border and the prevalence of Europeans along the coast
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