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Then re-write the paragraph,because it sells the idea that 16% of the population of composed of immigrants, This article is about immigration to Portugal, not about children of Portuguese nationals returning to Portugal
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{{For|Immigration from African countries to Portugal|Afro-Portuguese people}}
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As of December 2022, [[Portugal]] had 1,733,067 inhabitants that were born born [[Place of birth|in a foreign country]], out of 10,516,621 inhabitants, accounting for 16.48% of its total population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Resident population (No.) by Sex, Age and Birthplace; Annual |url=https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_indicadores&indOcorrCod=0006031&contexto=bd&selTab=tab2&xlang=en}}</ref>
As of 2022, [[Portugal]] had 798,480 inhabitants that were born [[Place of birth|in a foreign country]], accounting for about 7.6 % of its total population.<ref>{{cite web | last=Lusa | first=Agência | last2=Rocha | first2=Cátia | title=Número de estrangeiros em Portugal duplicou em 10 anos, revelam dados da Pordata | website=Observador | date=2023-12-18 | url=https://observador.pt/2023/12/18/numero-de-estrangeiros-em-portugal-duplicou-em-10-anos-revelam-dados-da-pordata/ | language=pt | access-date=2024-07-03}}</ref>


Dealing with foreign nationals (inhabitants without [[Portuguese citizenship]], regardless of their country of birth or [[Ethnicity|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.<ref>{{cite web |title=661 mil imigrantes, mais 71 mil do que antes da pandemia |url=https://www.dn.pt/sociedade/661-mil-imigrantes-mais-71-mil-do-que-antes-da-pandemia-13680577.html |publisher=[[Diário de Notícias]] |access-date=12 June 2021 |language=pt}}</ref> By January 2023 their number had soared to 781,915 people.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Sefstat 2022 |url=https://www.sef.pt/pt/Documents/RIFA2022%20vF2a.pdf}}</ref> These figures do not include [[naturalized]] [[Immigration|foreign-born]] residents (about 342,521 resident foreigners acquired [[Portuguese nationality law|Portuguese citizenship]] from 2008 to 2022, of whom 20,844 did so in 2022<ref>{{Cite web |title=Acquisition of citizenship by age group, sex and former citizenship |url=https://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/submitViewTableAction.do}}</ref><ref name="Portal do INE">{{Cite web |title=Portal do INE |url=https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_indicadores&indOcorrCod=0008368&xlang=pt&contexto=bd&selTab=tab2 |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=www.ine.pt}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |title=Portal do INE |url=https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_indicadores&indOcorrCod=0008370&contexto=bd&selTab=tab2&xlang=pt |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=www.ine.pt}}</ref>) 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Correspondente' |first='VICENTE NUNES |date= 30 January 0303|title=Mais de 100 mil brasileiros estão em situação irregular em Portugal |url=https://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/brasil/2023/01/5069840-mais-de-100-mil-brasileiros-estao-em-situacao-irregular-em-portugal.html |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=Brasil |language=pt-BR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Imigração ilegal {{!}} CNN Portugal |url=https://cnnportugal.iol.pt/noticias/-Imigra%C3%A7%C3%A3o-ilegal |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=cnnportugal.iol.pt |language=pt}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2 August 2022 |title=Portugal intensifica cerco aos imigrantes ilegais |url=https://oglobo.globo.com/blogs/portugal-giro/post/2022/08/portugal-intensifica-busca-de-imigrantes-ilegais.ghtml |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=O Globo |language=pt-br}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=SEF lança operação para regularizar casos de 300 mil imigrantes que estão em espera |date=17 February 2023 |url=https://www.publico.pt/2023/02/17/sociedade/noticia/sef-prepara-operacao-regularizar-cerca-300-mil-processos-imigrantes-2039323}}</ref>
Dealing with foreign nationals (inhabitants without [[Portuguese citizenship]], regardless of their country of birth or [[Ethnicity|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.<ref>{{cite web |title=661 mil imigrantes, mais 71 mil do que antes da pandemia |url=https://www.dn.pt/sociedade/661-mil-imigrantes-mais-71-mil-do-que-antes-da-pandemia-13680577.html |publisher=[[Diário de Notícias]] |access-date=12 June 2021 |language=pt}}</ref> By January 2023 their number had soared to 781,915 people.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Sefstat 2022 |url=https://www.sef.pt/pt/Documents/RIFA2022%20vF2a.pdf}}</ref> These figures do not include [[naturalized]] [[Immigration|foreign-born]] residents (about 342,521 resident foreigners acquired [[Portuguese nationality law|Portuguese citizenship]] from 2008 to 2022, of whom 20,844 did so in 2022<ref>{{Cite web |title=Acquisition of citizenship by age group, sex and former citizenship |url=https://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/submitViewTableAction.do}}</ref><ref name="Portal do INE">{{Cite web |title=Portal do INE |url=https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_indicadores&indOcorrCod=0008368&xlang=pt&contexto=bd&selTab=tab2 |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=www.ine.pt}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |title=Portal do INE |url=https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_indicadores&indOcorrCod=0008370&contexto=bd&selTab=tab2&xlang=pt |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=www.ine.pt}}</ref>) 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Correspondente' |first='VICENTE NUNES |date= 30 January 0303|title=Mais de 100 mil brasileiros estão em situação irregular em Portugal |url=https://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/brasil/2023/01/5069840-mais-de-100-mil-brasileiros-estao-em-situacao-irregular-em-portugal.html |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=Brasil |language=pt-BR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Imigração ilegal {{!}} CNN Portugal |url=https://cnnportugal.iol.pt/noticias/-Imigra%C3%A7%C3%A3o-ilegal |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=cnnportugal.iol.pt |language=pt}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2 August 2022 |title=Portugal intensifica cerco aos imigrantes ilegais |url=https://oglobo.globo.com/blogs/portugal-giro/post/2022/08/portugal-intensifica-busca-de-imigrantes-ilegais.ghtml |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=O Globo |language=pt-br}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=SEF lança operação para regularizar casos de 300 mil imigrantes que estão em espera |date=17 February 2023 |url=https://www.publico.pt/2023/02/17/sociedade/noticia/sef-prepara-operacao-regularizar-cerca-300-mil-processos-imigrantes-2039323}}</ref>

Revision as of 21:29, 6 July 2024

As of 2022, Portugal had 798,480 inhabitants that were born in a foreign country, accounting for about 7.6 % of its total population.[1]

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.[2] By January 2023 their number had soared to 781,915 people.[3] These figures do not include naturalized foreign-born residents (about 342,521 resident foreigners acquired Portuguese citizenship from 2008 to 2022, of whom 20,844 did so in 2022[4][5][6]) 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.[7][8][9][10]

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%).[3]

The distribution of foreigners is largely uneven in Portugal: 65% of foreign citizens lived in Lisbon, Faro or Setúbal districts: these districts account for 35% of the country's population.[11]

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).[3] 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.[12] 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.[5] The majority of Indians living in Portugal are from the former Portuguese colony of Goa or from Gujarat.[13][14]

Portuguese and foreign born population pyramid in 2021

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%).[3]

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.[15][16][17] Dealing with children born from foreign-born mothers, their share reached 25% in 2022.[18]

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.[19][20][21][22][23]

History

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.[24][25][26][27][28][29] 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.[30][31][32] 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 and in the 1970s, following the annexation of Goa by the Indian Union.[33][34][35] 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 14 Prime Ministers in Portuguese democratic history, 2 were of Goan descent (Alfredo Nobre da Costa and António Costa).[36][37][38] 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.[39][40][41][42][43][44] 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.[45][46]

Terreiro do Paço in 1975, during the retornados crisis

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.[47] 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. Along with white retornados there were also some Black people as well.[48][49][50][51][52][53] After almost 50 years, according to the 2021 Portuguese census there were still 240,499 living retornados residing in Portugal and having fled Africa in the 1970s[54].

In the second half of the 1980s, immigration towards Portugal by people of African descent became visible, especially because of the Portuguese economic growth and the worsening of the conditions in Angola and Mozambique due to the respective civil wars that were fought in the two countries. 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 and the present-day municipalities of Amadora and Odivelas. Starting from the 1970s, numerous clandestine neighborhoods (bairros clandestinos) emerged here, often lacking basic services and plagued by crime-related issues.[55] 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.[56][57][58]

A country of immigration: 1990–2007

Cape Verdean Batuque dancers in Damaia, Amadora in the early 90s

Immigration to Portugal, historically low, soared after the country's accession to the EU in 1986 and increased significantly starting in the late 1990s, also under form of human trafficking.[59][60]

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.[61][62][63]

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.[64][65][66] 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.[67][68][69][70]

Financial crisis and economic recession: 2008–2013

Afro-Portuguese in Lisbon

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.[71]

Between 2008 and 2013 unemployment rate in Portugal rose from 7.6% to 17.1%[72] and 2013 GDP was 7.60% lower than the value recorded for 2007 GDP.[73] Moreover, between 2007 and 2013 there was a 10.35% inflation rate, meaning that the Purchasing power of Portuguese families decreased significantly.[74] From 2008 to 2013, around 412,000 people left the country (51.2% did so permanently).[75] 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 - up until 2023[76] - 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 permanently 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]

A Portuguese residence permit issued to non-EU citizens

Between 2013 and 2019 the unemployment rate in Portugal fell from 17.1% to 6.6%[72] 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.[73] 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.[74]

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.[75] 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]

Lisbon, sign welcoming migrants to the city

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 billion euros () 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]

Multi-ethnic Carnival in Arroios

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 oligarch Roman 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

Rua do Benformoso in Lisbon: there might be up to 15,000 people of Bangladeshi descent living in the neighbourhood[111][112][113]

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%.[72][114] In addition, despite suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic, the GDP recorded for 2022 was 3.22% higher than in 2019.[73]

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

Indian PM Narendra Modi and Portuguese PM António Costa visiting the Hindu Temple of Lisbon. Costa's government promoted the end of the NHR, Golden Visa and Sephardi nationality act

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.[10] 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.

Street scene in Arroios

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]

Thai pavillion in Lisbon

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 December, the number had increased to a further 1,040,000 people, a 40% increase since January of the same year with 329,000 new residence permits given during 2023.[135][136][137] Of the foreigners living in Portugal, 35% were Brazilians: taking into account also Luso-Brazilians nationals and Brazilians awaiting for regularization, there are 750,000 Brazilians estimated living in Portugal.[138] 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.[139]

It is estimated that in the 2024/2025 school year, amongst 83,134 pupils entering Portuguese public schooling system, 10,297 will be foreign nationals, representing 12.4% of the total and an increase of 1,160 pupils from 2023/24.[140] The increase in the number of foreigners was also recorded for the 2024/25 university applications received by Portuguese institutions by early 2024.[141]

Number of foreign residents

Foreign citizens living in Portugal in 2022

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 the 6 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.[3]

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, Swedish or Irish communities. These communities are mostly composed of persons looking for quality of life and include an increasing number of pensioners.

The listed figures only take in account foreign residents legally living in the country and exclude foreigners who have acquires Portuguese citizenship as well as double citizens. For instance, while according to Portuguese authorities there were around 37,000 resident Cape Verdeans in the country, according to official Cape Verdean figures the number of Cape Verdeans in Portugal could be as high as 260,000.[142][143] The discrepancy could be due to the fact that since 2008 around 55,000 Cape Verdeans have naturalised as Portuguese, that kids of foreign citizens legally living in Portugal acquire Portuguese citizenship at birth and lastly that the overwhelming majority of the community are by now second or third generation immigrants.[144][5]

Chinese restaurant in Lagos
Hindu festival in Portugal
Immigrants in Odemira
Alcácer do Sal, home to a vibrant Romanian community, mainly working in agriculture[145][146]
Mouraria, inter-ethnic shopping center in Martim Moniz, Lisbon[147]
Many Africans- particularly Cape Verdeans - have moved to Amadora[148]
Evangelical church in Lisbon. Most protestants in Portugal hail from Brazil[149]
Mahjong game in Mouraria
Street scene in Mouraria
Country of citizenship Number of foreign citizens in 2022[3]
1  Brazil 239,744
2  United Kingdom 45,265
3  Cape Verde 36,748
4  India 35,416
5  Italy 34,039
6  Angola 31,761
7  France 27,512
8  Ukraine 25,445
9    Nepal 23,839
10  Guinea-Bissau 23,737
11  Romania 23,393
12  China (including Hong Kong and Macau) 22,230
13  Germany 20,500
14  Spain 19,508
15  Bangladesh 16,468
16  São Tomé and Príncipe 13,077
17  Netherlands 12,066
18  Pakistan 10,828
19  United States 9,794
20  Venezuela 8,936
21  Belgium 6,088
22  Russia 6,075
23  Sweden 5,653
24  Moldova 5,243
25  Bulgaria 5,139
26  Mozambique 4,785
27  Poland 4,326
28  Ireland 4,159
29   Switzerland 3,501
30  Morocco 2,575
31  South Africa 2,162
32  Colombia 2,135
33  Senegal 2,014
34  Thailand 1,977
35  Iran 1,797
36  Austria 1,673

Evolution of the number of foreign residents

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.[150]

African immigrants in Rossio, Lisbon

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.[72][74][73] 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.[6]

Dealing with the main foreign communities, one can see that:[6]

  1. 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 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.
  2. 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.
Country 2008[151][152] 2009[153][152] 2010[154][152] 2011[155][152] 2012[156][152] 2013[157][152] 2014[158][152] 2015[159][152] 2016[160][152]
 Brazil 70,132 Increase 106,961 Increase 116,220 Increase 119,363 Decrease111,445 Decrease105,622 Decrease92,120 Decrease87,493 Decrease82,590
 United Kingdom 23,574 Decrease15,372 Increase 16,374 Increase 17,202 Increase 17,681 Decrease16,655 Decrease16,474 Increase 16,562 Increase 17,233
 Cape Verde 64,667 Decrease51,353 Decrease48,845 Decrease43,979 Decrease43,920 Decrease42,857 Decrease42,401 Decrease40,912 Decrease38,674
 India 4,401 Increase 5,519 Increase 5,782 Decrease5,271 Increase 5,384 Increase 5,657 Increase 6,022 Increase 6,421 Increase 6,935
European Union Italy 5,994 Decrease3,915 Increase 4,500 Increase 5,067 Increase 5,338 Decrease5,222 Decrease5,121 Increase 5,328 Increase 6,130
 Angola 32,819 Decrease27,619 Decrease26,557 Decrease23,494 Decrease21,563 Decrease20,366 Decrease20,177 Decrease19,710 Decrease18,247
European Union France 10,540 Decrease4,576 Increase 4,883 Increase 5,111 Increase 5,293 Decrease5,201 Increase 5,268 Increase 6,542 Increase 8,441
 Ukraine 39,606 Increase 52,494 Decrease52,293 Decrease49,505 Decrease48,022 Decrease44,074 Decrease41,091 Decrease37,852 Decrease35,779
   Nepal 314 Increase 560 Increase 685 Increase 797 Increase 1,145 Increase 1,702 Increase 2,588 Increase 3,544 Increase 4,798
 Guinea-Bissau 25,039 Decrease24,390 Decrease22,945 Decrease19,817 Decrease18,487 Decrease17,759 Increase 17,846 Increase 17,981 Decrease17,091
European Union Romania 19,280 Increase 27,769 Increase 32,457 Increase 36,830 Increase 39,312 Decrease35,216 Decrease34,204 Decrease31,505 Decrease30,523
 China 10,982 Increase 13,347 Increase 14,412 Increase 15,714 Increase 16,795 Increase 17,460 Increase 18,681 Increase 21,453 Decrease21,376
European Union Germany 15,493 Decrease8,187 Increase 8,614 Increase 8,967 Increase 9,054 Decrease8,606 Decrease 8,581 Increase 8,752 Increase 9,035
European Union Spain 18,031 Decrease7,220 Increase 8,060 Increase 8,918 Increase 9,310 Increase 9,351 Increase 9,541 Increase 9,692 Increase 10,019
 Bangladesh 1,193 Increase 1,577 Decrease1,346 Decrease1,007 Increase 1,149 Increase 1,351 Increase 1,733 Increase 2,074 Increase 2,571
 São Tomé and Príncipe 11,015 Increase 11,726 Decrease11,514 Decrease10,516 Increase 10,518 Decrease10,376 Decrease10,304 Decrease10,167 Decrease9,555
European Union Netherlands 6,598 Decrease4,360 Increase 4,577 Increase 4,725 Increase 4,862 Decrease4,848 Increase 4,991 Increase 5,262 Increase 5,855
 Pakistan 2,383 Increase 2,736 Decrease2,698 Decrease2,604 Decrease2,474 Decrease2,425 Increase 2,628 Increase 2,785 Increase 3,042
 United States 8,733 Decrease2,373 Decrease2,293 Decrease2,236 Increase 2,332 Increase 2,427 Increase 2,785 Decrease2,728 Decrease2,619
 Venezuela 3,740 Decrease2,364 Decrease2,169 Decrease2,009 Decrease1,999 Decrease1,945 Decrease1,898 Increase 1,913 Increase 2,010
European Union Belgium 3,101 Decrease1,560 Increase 1,609 Increase 1,707 Increase 1,752 Increase 1,771 Increase 1,881 Increase 2,105 Increase 2,388
 Russia 5,674 Increase 6,191 Decrease6,132 Decrease5,299 Decrease4,878 Decrease4,581 Decrease4,428 Decrease4,404 Decrease4,260
European Union Sweden 1,655 Decrease699 Increase 746 Increase 804 Increase 918 Increase 977 Increase 1,189 Increase 1,415 Increase 1,989
 Moldova 14,813 Increase 21,147 Decrease20,773 Decrease15,641 Decrease13,586 Decrease11,503 Decrease9,971 Decrease8,460 Decrease6,948
European Union Bulgaria 5,076 Increase 6,456 Increase 7,202 Increase 8,174 Increase 8,606 Decrease7,439 Increase 7,553 Decrease7,037 Decrease6,722
 Mozambique 5,954 Decrease3,372 Decrease3,328 Decrease3,122 Decrease3,028 Decrease2,909 Decrease2,849 Decrease2,832 Decrease2,809
European Union Poland 913 Increase 925 Increase 1,042 Increase 1,195 Increase 1,280 Decrease1,222 Increase 1,238 Increase 1,307 Increase 1,382
European Union Ireland 887 Decrease616 Increase 707 Increase 813 Increase 862 Decrease838 Decrease805 Increase 823 Increase 892
  Switzerland 1,842 Decrease1,011 Decrease1,003 Increase 1,036 Decrease1,030 Decrease1,025 Increase 1,055 Increase 1,104 Increase 1,263
 Morocco 1,928 Decrease1,870 Increase 1,933 Decrease1,779 Increase 1,796 Decrease1,756 Increase 1,808 Decrease1,731 Decrease1,681
 South Africa 2,116 Decrease597 Decrease589 Decrease580 Increase 582 Decrease573 Decrease560 Increase 620 Increase 635
 Colombia 675 Decrease591 Increase 592 Decrease586 Increase 759 Increase 855 Increase 866 Increase 869 Increase 907
 Senegal 1,966 Increase2,073 Decrease1,778 Decrease1,677 Decrease1,626 Increase 1,631 Increase 1,670 Decrease1,629 Decrease1,515
 Thailand 193 Increase278 Increase455 Increase722 Increase922 Increase1,009 Increase1,021 Increase1,169 Increase1,428
 Iran 632 Decrease177 Increase215 Increase261 Increase339 Increase447 Increase499 Increase525 Increase545
European Union Austria 827 Decrease422 Increase445 Increase494 Increase522 Decrease510 Increase537 Increase561 Increase607
 Canada 1,992 Decrease785 Decrease701 Increase721 Increase723 Increase746 Decrease732 Increase741 Decrease738
European Union Denmark 1,075 Decrease432 Increase468 Decrease464 Increase487 Increase500 Increase515 Increase525 Increase575
 Cuba 731 Increase802 Increase850 Decrease816 Decrease795 Increase803 Increase841 Increase917 Decrease901
 Turkey 310 Decrease286 Increase322 Increase404 Increase440 Increase537 Decrease431 Increase650 Decrease596
 Uzbekistan 604 Increase851 Increase951 Increase1,075 Increase1,104 Increase1,119 Decrease1,081 Decrease1,024 Decrease992
European Union Hungary 386 Decrease333 Increase352 Increase428 Increase435 Decrease414 Increase424 Increase482 Decrease480
European Union Finland 702 Decrease354 Steady354 Increase374 Increase395 Decrease391 Increase397 Increase543 Increase834
 Philippines 496 Decrease475 Increase491 Increase540 Increase586 Increase623 Increase638 Increase668 Increase756
 Syria 96 Decrease24 Increase25 Steady25 Decrease24 Increase34 Increase73 Increase144 Increase164
 Guinea 1,847 Increase1,851 Decrease1,848 Decrease1,409 Increase1,549 Increase1,603 Increase1,621 Decrease1,600 Decrease1,526
 Norway 834 Decrease375 Increase379 Increase428 Increase432 Increase436 Increase455 Increase490 Increase515
 Argentina 717 Decrease474 Increase498 Decrease494 Decrease487 Decrease485 Decrease462 Decrease461 Decrease447
 Nigeria 354 Decrease281 Increase299 Decrease286 Increase325 Increase350 Increase365 Increase424 Increase428
 Algeria 231 Decrease224 Increase231 Increase253 Decrease248 Increase257 Increase288 Increase308 Increase316
European Union Lithuania 430 Increase505 Increase558 Increase614 Decrease546 Decrease542 Decrease532 Steady532 Increase535
European Union Greece 252 Decrease139 Increase157 Increase163 Increase178 Decrease161 Increase170 Increase191 Increase248
 Indonesia 38 Increase53 Increase72 Increase99 Decrease98 Increase130 Steady130 Steady130 Increase140
 Mexico 363 Decrease245 Increase281 Increase310 Increase311 Increase326 Increase385 Increase413 Increase433
 Afghanistan 5 Decrease1 Increase2 Increase3 Increase5 Increase27 Increase31 Increase34 Increase41
 Kazakhstan 598 Increase740 Increase748 Decrease740 Decrease704 Decrease666 Decrease623 Decrease582 Decrease537
European Union Latvia 193 Increase240 Increase311 Increase383 Decrease370 Decrease361 Decrease335 Decrease313 Increase333
European Union Czech Republic 313 Decrease202 Increase223 Increase251 Decrease231 Decrease210 Increase231 Increase264 Increase274
 Belarus 782 Increase1,016 Decrease1,002 Decrease910 Decrease823 Decrease758 Decrease744 Decrease695 Decrease632
 Tunisia 124 Decrease123 Increase136 Decrease132 Decrease130 Decrease128 Increase162 Increase171 Increase176
 Australia 544 Decrease230 Decrease220 Decrease218 Increase224 Increase226 Increase252 Increase263 Increase269
 Egypt 358 Increase409 Decrease394 Decrease333 Decrease313 Decrease299 Increase321 Increase329 Decrease298
 Peru 325 Decrease260 Increase282 Decrease267 Increase277 Increase282 Increase294 Decrease278 Decrease256
 Equador 427 Increase503 Decrease471 Decrease419 Decrease364 Decrease338 Decrease325 Decrease298 Decrease292
European Union Luxembourg 165 Decrease124 Increase130 Increase137 Decrease130 Decrease128 Decrease122 Increase142 Increase144
 Lebanon 206 Decrease57 Decrease46 Increase47 Increase51 Increase72 Increase95 Increase167 Decrease162
 Chile 301 Decrease177 Increase210 Increase213 Increase218 Decrease205 Decrease173 Decrease165 Increase183
 Israel 137 Decrease72 Decrease66 Increase71 Increase78 Increase84 Increase92 Increase94 Increase108
 Japan 976 Decrease383 Decrease377 Decrease368 Increase385 Increase392 Increase393 Decrease386 Increase397
 Iraq 157 Decrease30 Increase40 Decrease36 Increase44 Increase84 Increase93 Increase125 Increase126
European Union Slovakia 187 Decrease173 Increase197 Increase208 Decrease198 Decrease171 Increase174 Decrease156 Increase164
 Georgia 868 Increase1,128 Increase1,172 Decrease1,098 Decrease1,040 Decrease949 Decrease902 Decrease847 Decrease727
 Vietnam 15 Increase18 Increase56 Increase79 Decrease67 Increase108 Decrease65 Increase78 Decrease77
European Union Croatia 154 Decrease80 Decrease76 Increase84 Increase85 Increase86 Increase101 Increase141 Increase174
 Gambia 90 Increase116 Steady116 Decrease110 Increase119 Increase139 Increase157 Increase163 Decrease152
European Union Estonia 86 Decrease79 Increase111 Increase113 Increase114 Decrease104 Increase109 Increase111 Increase121
 Timor Leste 86 Decrease77 Increase111 Increase158 Increase177 Increase303 Decrease245 Decrease201 Decrease169
 Jordan 92 Decrease34 Decrease33 Increase36 Decrease33 Increase40 Increase49 Increase73 Increase138
 Serbia 380 Decrease287 Decrease249 Decrease219 Decrease186 Increase215 Decrease213 Decrease195 Decrease192
 Cameroon 79 Decrease72 Increase84 Decrease76 Decrease72 Increase95 Increase108 Increase132 Decrease127
European Union Slovenia 57 Decrease44 Increase49 Increase60 Increase61 Decrease60 Increase71 Increase82 Increase96
 DRC 425 Decrease210 Decrease184 Decrease171 Increase178 Increase238 Increase243 Decrease234 Increase235
 South Korea 263 Decrease131 Increase144 Increase146 Increase155 Increase170 Decrease156 Increase187 Decrease182
 Uruguay 154 Decrease126 Increase128 Increase135 Decrease126 Steady126 Increase128 Decrease123 Decrease122
 Ghana 202 Increase213 Decrease197 Decrease169 Decrease156 Decrease147 Decrease145 Decrease143 Decrease137
 Ivory Coast 157 Decrease123 Decrease120 Decrease118 Decrease100 Increase115 Increase117 Increase120 Increase121
 Dominican Republic 92 Decrease64 Increase70 Increase86 Increase98 Increase114 Increase133 Increase136 Decrease132
 Eritrea 0 Increase2 Increase4 Decrease1 Increase5 Increase38 Decrease35 Steady35 Increase40
 Sudan 16 Decrease7 Steady7 Steady7 Increase9 Increase29 Increase34 Decrease32 Increase38
European Union Cyprus 3 Increase8 Increase11 Steady11 Increase12 Steady12 Increase13 Decrease11 Increase12
 Paraguay 47 Steady47 Increase71 Increase88 Decrease83 Increase89 Increase99 Decrease97 Decrease92
 Iceland 68 Decrease31 Increase34 Increase42 Increase47 Increase53 Decrease51 Increase59 Increase62
 Bolivia 99 Increase107 Increase118 Decrease117 Increase128 Decrease120 Decrease116 Steady116 Decrease109
 Sierra Leone 115 Decrease54 Increase59 Decrease55 Decrease47 Increase48 Increase55 Decrease52 Increase63
 New Zealand 79 Decrease35 Decrease33 Increase35 Decrease30 Increase33 Steady33 Increase42 Decrease39
European Union Malta 14 Increase17 Increase22 Decrease17 Increase24 Decrease20 Decrease18 Increase22 Increase25
 Sri Lanka 3 Increase16 Increase18 Steady18 Decrease17 Increase38 Increase47 Increase54 Increase60
 Libya 54 Decrease24 Decrease10 Increase13 Increase16 Increase27 Increase60 Increase116 Increase196
 Malaysia 59 Decrease33 Increase34 Decrease29 Increase38 Decrease34 Increase37 Increase50 Increase59
 Kenya 311 Decrease60 Decrease50 Decrease41 Decrease40 Increase45 Increase58 Decrease54 Increase64
 Singapore 46 Decrease13 Increase15 Increase21 Increase27 Decrease22 Increase29 Increase32 Decrease28
 Costa Rica 22 Decrease19 Increase22 Increase56 Decrease54 Decrease52 Increase53 Increase59 Decrease53
 Albania 60 Decrease53 Decrease42 Decrease37 Decrease36 Steady36 Decrease33 Increase34 Increase42
 Armenia 61 Increase88 Decrease83 Increase94 Decrease88 Decrease73 Increase81 Decrease80 Decrease74
 Guatemala 35 Decrease25 Increase31 Increase36 Increase39 Increase45 Steady45 Increase49 Increase51
 Panama 38 Decrease33 Decrease31 Increase32 Increase39 Steady39 Decrease28 Increase32 Decrease27
 Zimbabwe 92 Decrease39 Decrease37 Decrease33 Decrease26 Decrease25 Increase29 Increase32 Increase38
 Congo 134 Decrease131 Decrease120 Decrease91 Increase93 Decrease91 Decrease83 Decrease78 Decrease64
 Mali 115 Decrease108 Decrease95 Decrease79 Decrease66 Decrease62 Decrease57 Increase58 Decrease45
 El Salvador 17 Increase21 Increase23 Increase30 Increase39 Decrease37 Decrease34 Decrease32 Increase36
 South Sudan 0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0
 Somalia 1 Steady1 Decrease0 Steady0 Increase1 Increase58 Increase63 Decrease55 Decrease54
 Ethiopia 22 Increase27 Steady27 Increase30 Increase38 Increase56 Decrease51 Increase56 Decrease51
 Azerbaijan 10 Increase23 Decrease19 Decrease17 Increase25 Steady25 Increase34 Increase42 Increase46
 Togo 55 Increase83 Decrease67 Decrease50 Decrease37 Steady37 Decrease32 Increase32 Increase35
 North Macedonia 51 Decrease19 Increase20 Decrease11 Increase12 Increase21 Decrease15 Increase21 Increase27
 Palestine 23 Steady23 Steady23 Increase33 Decrease32 Steady32 Increase35 Increase57 Decrease52
 Honduras 17 Decrease15 Steady18 Increase25 Steady25 Increase27 Decrease23 Increase24 Increase30
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 127 Decrease50 Steady50 Decrease47 Decrease40 Increase59 Decrease56 Decrease50 Increase57
 Nicaragua 13 Decrease12 Increase15 Increase21 Decrease20 Decrease19 Decrease18 Steady18 Decrease16
 Saudi Arabia 23 Decrease15 Decrease9 Decrease6 Increase7 Increase9 Increase18 Increase47 Decrease20
 Taiwan 8 Increase18 Increase23 Increase26 Increase35 Increase42 Decrease34 Increase36 Steady36
 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2 Decrease0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Increase7 Increase20 Decrease15
 Tanzania 335 Decrease63 Decrease57 Decrease54 Decrease45 Increase48 Decrease43 Decrease38 Decrease32
 Cambodia 0 Steady0 Increase35 Decrease10 Decrease8 Increase10 Increase12 Steady12 Decrease10
 Uganda 14 Decrease12 Decrease11 Decrease8 Steady8 Increase11 Increase18 Increase21 Decrease18
 Equatorial Guinea 33 Decrease12 Decrease10 Decrease7 Increase9 Steady9 Steady9 Increase60 Decrease51
 Namibia 10 Increase12 Steady12 Increase15 Steady15 Increase16 Decrease13 Increase16 Increase18
 Tajikistan 3 Decrease1 Increase2 Increase3 Steady3 Increase5 Increase8 Increase10 Increase15
 Mauritius 13 Decrease7 Decrease6 Decrease4 Increase6 Increase9 Increase10 Increase16 Increase17
 Kyrgyzstan 49 Increase55 Decrease50 Decrease41 Increase42 Decrease38 Decrease30 Increase33 Decrease31
 Yemen 2 Increase3 Increase9 Steady9 Steady9 Increase13 Increase14 Decrease13 Increase18
 Gabon 8 Increase12 Increase13 Steady13 Decrease10 Increase15 Increase13 Increase31 Decrease17
 Rwanda 33 Decrease20 Increase25 Decrease14 Increase16 Increase22 Increase23 Decrease18 Increase20
 Zambia 14 Decrease9 Decrease8 Steady8 Steady8 Increase11 Decrease7 Steady7 Steady7
 Mauritania 53 Decrease41 Increase39 Decrease33 Decrease30 Decrease28 Decrease26 Decrease24 Steady24
 Burkina Faso 12 Increase14 Increase16 Steady16 Decrease15 Decrease12 Decrease11 Increase12 Increase13
 Kosovo 0 Increase1 Increase13 Decrease10 Steady10 Increase14 Decrease13 Increase15 Increase27
 Kuwait 19 Decrease2 Steady2 Steady2 Decrease1 Steady1 Steady1 Increase4 Decrease1
 Mongolia 4 Increase15 Increase16 Increase19 Increase23 Increase25 Decrease23 Decrease22 Increase32
 Benin 28 Increase35 Decrease33 Decrease32 Decrease26 Decrease24 Decrease14 Decrease12 Steady12
Unknown 17 Increase54 Decrease48 Decrease29 Increase34 Decrease22 Decrease19 Decrease14 Steady14
 Haiti 4 Decrease1 Increase6 Increase7 Steady7 Decrease2 Increase4 Increase5 Steady5
 Montenegro 16 Decrease9 Steady9 Decrease7 Increase9 Decrease8 Decrease5 Increase6 Increase9
Stateless 273 Decrease31 Decrease0 Steady0 Increase13 Increase18 Decrease14 Decrease11 Decrease0
 Liberia 43 Decrease29 Decrease20 Decrease17 Decrease15 Increase18 Decrease15 Increase19 Decrease16
 Malawi 27 Decrease6 Increase9 Steady9 Steady9 Increase11 Steady11 Decrease9 Increase12
 Andorra 15 Decrease2 Steady2 Steady2 Increase3 Steady3 Decrease2 Increase3 Steady3
 Trinidad and Tobago 21 Decrease4 Increase9 Decrease6 Decrease5 Increase8 Increase10 Increase11 Decrease8
 Botswana 11 Decrease4 Increase5 Steady5 Steady5 Increase6 Steady6 Increase7 Steady7
 Jamaica 17 Decrease15 Decrease12 Decrease10 Increase11 Decrease9 Decrease8 Increase12 Steady12
 Madagascar 18 Decrease16 Decrease15 Decrease10 Steady10 Decrease7 Decrease6 Increase8 Increase9
 Dominica 3 Increase13 Decrease11 Decrease8 Increase9 Steady9 Decrease8 Steady8 Decrease7
 Eswatini 16 Decrease10 Decrease9 Increase10 Increase11 Steady11 Decrease9 Decrease7 Increase8
 Bahrain 16 Decrease0 Increase1 Steady1 Steady1 Steady1 Steady1 Increase5 Decrease4
 Turkmenistan 4 Decrease3 Steady3 Steady3 Increase7 Decrease5 Decrease4 Steady4 Increase12
 Bhutan 0 Increase1 Steady1 Decrease0 Steady0 Increase1 Decrease0 Steady0 Increase1
 United Arab Emirates 2 Decrease1 Steady1 Steady1 Increase2 Steady2 Steady2 Increase8 Decrease5
 Niger 0 Increase2 Steady2 Decrease0 Steady0 Increase1 Increase2 Increase4 Increase6
 Liechtenstein 5 Decrease4 Steady4 Steady4 Decrease3 Decrease1 Steady1 Increase2 Increase3
 Central African Republic 5 Steady5 Steady5 Steady5 Decrease4 Increase4 Increase10 Increase11 Decrease7
 Guyana 25 Decrease4 Increase7 Decrease4 Decrease3 Steady3 Increase4 Steady4 Steady4
 Maldives 7 Decrease0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Increase2 Increase3
 Myanmar 2 Steady2 Steady2 Increase4 Steady4 Increase6 Steady6 Decrease4 Increase7
 Antigua and Barbuda 0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady1 Increase2 Steady2 Decrease1 Steady1
 Qatar 2 Decrease0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady1 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0
 Burundi 2 Decrease1 Increase2 Steady2 Decrease1 Increase4 Increase5 Increase7 Decrease6
 Seychelles 4 Decrease2 Increase4 Steady4 Steady4 Steady4 Steady4 Decrease3 Increase6
 Grenada 3 Steady3 Steady3 Steady3 Increase5 Decrease3 Increase4 Steady4 Steady4
 Suriname 6 Decrease5 Decrease3 Decrease2 Steady2 Decrease1 Steady1 Steady1 Decrease0
Other countries (below 5) 57 Decrease45 Decrease35 Increase43 Decrease40 Increase44 Decrease29 Increase29 Decrease21
Total foreigners 446,333 Decrease440,277 Increase454,191 Decrease445,262 Decrease436,822 Decrease417,042 Decrease401,320 Decrease395,195 Decrease388,731
Share of the population[161] 4.23% Decrease4.17% Increase4.30% Decrease4.21% Decrease4.14% Decrease3.98% Decrease3.85% Decrease3.81% Decrease3.76%

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.[150]

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.[162] Between 2013 and 2023, Portugal's unemployment rate declined from 17.1% to 6.1%,[163] 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.[72][74][73]

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:[6]

  1. 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;
  2. 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
  3. 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
Country 2016[160][152] 2017[164][152] 2018[165][152] 2019[166][152] 2020[167][152] 2021[168][152] 2022[169][152] 2023[3][152]
 Brazil 82,590 Decrease81,251 Increase 85,425 Increase 105,423 Increase 151,312 Increase 183,993 Increase 204,694 Increase 239,744
 United Kingdom 17,233 Increase 19,387 Increase 22,432 Increase 26,445 Increase 34,357 Increase 46,239 Decrease41,934 Increase45,265
 Cape Verde 38,674 Decrease36,578 Decrease34,986 Decrease34,663 Increase 37,435 Decrease36,609 Decrease34,093 Increase36,748
 India 6,935 Increase 7,244 Increase 7,990 Increase 11,393 Increase 17,619 Increase 24,550 Increase 30,251 Increase35,416
European Union Italy 6,130 Increase 8,523 Increase 12,925 Increase 18,862 Increase 25,408 Increase 28,159 Increase 30,819 Increase34,039
 Angola 18,247 Decrease16,994 Decrease16,854 Increase 18,382 Increase 22,691 Increase 24,449 Increase 25,802 Increase31,761
European Union France 8,441 Increase 11,293 Increase 15,319 Increase 19,771 Increase 23,126 Increase 24,935 Increase 26,719 Increase27,512
 Ukraine 35,779 Decrease34,490 Decrease32,453 Decrease29,218 Increase 29,718 Decrease28,629 Decrease27,195 Decrease25,445
   Nepal 4,798 Increase 5,835 Increase 7,437 Increase 11,489 Increase 16,849 Increase 21,015 Increase 21,545 Increase23,839
 Guinea-Bissau 17,091 Decrease15,653 Decrease15,198 Increase 16,186 Increase 18,886 Increase 19,680 Increase 20,357 Increase23,737
European Union Romania 30,523 Decrease30,429 Increase 30,750 Increase 30,908 Increase 31,064 Decrease30,052 Decrease28,911 Decrease23,393
 China 21,376 Increase 22,555 Increase 23,245 Increase 25,420 Increase 27,905 Decrease26,182 Decrease23,025 Decrease22,230
European Union Germany 9,035 Increase 10,030 Increase 11,160 Increase 12,817 Increase 14,669 Increase 16,041 Increase 18,340 Increase20,500
European Union Spain 10,019 Increase 11,133 Increase 12,526 Increase 14,066 Increase 15,844 Increase 16,981 Increase 18,546 Increase19,508
 Bangladesh 2,571 Increase 2,799 Increase 3,450 Increase 5,325 Increase 7,964 Increase 9,916 Increase 10,936 Increase16,468
 São Tomé and Príncipe 9,555 Decrease8,980 Decrease8,605 Increase 9,153 Increase 10,240 Increase 10,706 Increase 11,234 Increase13,077
European Union Netherlands 5,855 Increase 6,838 Increase 7,837 Increase 8,984 Increase 10,038 Increase 10,392 Increase 11,013 Increase12,066
 Pakistan 3,042 Increase 3,175 Increase 3,380 Increase 4,373 Increase 5,310 Increase 6,381 Increase 7,499 Increase10,828
 United States 2,619 Increase 2,704 Increase 2,888 Increase 3,254 Increase 4,134 Increase 4,768 Increase 6,885 Increase9,794
 Venezuela 2,010 Increase 2,356 Increase 3,104 Increase 4,740 Increase 6,551 Increase 7,741 Increase 8,296 Increase8,936
European Union Belgium 2,388 Increase 2,853 Increase 3,508 Increase 4,147 Increase 4,781 Increase 5,183 Increase 5,657 Increase6,088
 Russia 4,260 Increase 4,280 Decrease4,264 Increase 4,365 Increase 4,885 Increase 5,103 Increase 5,156 Increase6,075
European Union Sweden 1,989 Increase 2,633 Increase 3,564 Increase 4,274 Increase 4,912 Increase 5,181 Increase 5,486 Increase5,653
 Moldova 6,948 Decrease6,125 Decrease5,210 Decrease4,834 Increase 5,098 Increase 5,183 Decrease5,177 Increase5,243
European Union Bulgaria 6,722 Increase 7,019 Increase 7,033 Decrease6,931 Decrease6,839 Decrease6,745 Decrease6,491 Decrease5,139
 Mozambique 2,809 Increase 2,848 Increase 2,854 Increase 3,005 Increase 3,501 Increase 3,678 Increase 3,803 Increase4,785
European Union Poland 1,382 Increase 1,576 Increase 1,898 Increase 2,320 Increase 2,759 Increase 3,061 Increase 3,651 Increase4,326
European Union Ireland 892 Increase 1,031 Increase 1,337 Increase 1,752 Increase 2,249 Increase 2,630 Increase 3,327 Increase4,159
  Switzerland 1,263 Increase 1,557 Increase 1,841 Increase 2,190 Increase 2,582 Increase 2,877 Increase 3,179 Increase3,501
 Morocco 1,681 Decrease1,576 Decrease1,511 Increase 1,539 Increase 1,684 Increase 1,936 Increase 2,136 Increase2,575
 South Africa 635 Increase 839 Increase 1,020 Increase 1,379 Increase 1,605 Increase 1,640 Increase 1,748 Increase2,162
 Colombia 907 Decrease886 Increase 922 Increase 973 Increase 1,264 Increase 1,466 Increase 1,690 Increase2,135
 Senegal 1,515 Decrease1,356 Decrease1,241 Increase 1,248 Increase 1,446 Increase 1,537 Increase 1,673 Increase2,014
 Thailand 1,428 Increase1,475 Increase1,691 Decrease1,593 Increase1,726 Decrease1,723 Increase1,795 Increase1,977
 Iran 545 Increase652 Increase699 Increase838 Increase1,099 Increase1,281 Increase1,431 Increase1,797
European Union Austria 607 Increase757 Increase955 Increase1,119 Increase1,317 Increase1,372 Increase1,467 Increase1,643
 Canada 738 Steady738 Increase830 Increase882 Increase1,012 Increase1,098 Increase1,271 Increase1,624
European Union Denmark 575 Increase658 Increase879 Increase979 Increase1,165 Increase1,333 Increase1,528 Increase1,583
 Cuba 901 Increase965 Decrease929 Increase975 Increase1,116 Increase1,199 Increase1,264 Increase1,483
 Turkey 596 Increase696 Increase743 Increase1,090 Increase1,293 Increase1,518 Decrease1,363 Increase1,367
 Uzbekistan 992 Decrease968 Increase1,017 Decrease986 Increase1,109 Increase1,137 Increase1,201 Increase1,297
European Union Hungary 480 Increase520 Increase597 Increase748 Increase881 Increase941 Increase1,059 Increase1,230
European Union Finland 834 Increase998 Increase1,163 Increase1,263 Increase1,271 Decrease1,152 Increase1,157 Increase1,210
 Philippines 756 Decrease750 Increase763 Increase852 Increase997 Increase1,072 Increase1,107 Increase1,208
 Syria 164 Increase470 Increase716 Increase848 Increase1,105 Increase1,108 Increase1,191 Increase1,193
 Guinea 1,526 Decrease1,363 Decrease1,275 Increase1,345 Increase1,415 Decrease1,402 Decrease1,204 Decrease1,182
 Norway 515 Increase573 Increase680 Increase784 Increase874 Increase965 Increase1,052 Increase1,086
 Argentina 447 Decrease438 Decrease424 Increase486 Increase560 Increase677 Increase813 Increase1,079
 Nigeria 428 Increase478 Increase508 Increase543 Increase668 Increase758 Increase866 Increase1,050
 Algeria 316 Decrease315 Increase326 Increase339 Increase517 Increase633 Increase750 Increase1,015
European Union Lithuania 535 Increase585 Increase649 Increase748 Increase833 Increase891 Increase896 Increase1,006
European Union Greece 248 Increase327 Increase425 Increase516 Increase633 Increase679 Increase794 Increase979
 Indonesia 140 Increase157 Increase182 Increase280 Increase425 Increase509 Increase717 Increase892
 Mexico 433 Increase474 Increase516 Increase520 Increase595 Increase640 Increase699 Increase826
 Afghanistan 41 Decrease38 Increase50 Increase60 Increase62 Increase73 Increase598 Increase775
 Kazakhstan 537 Decrease528 Decrease516 Decrease495 Increase581 Increase633 Increase709 Increase760
European Union Latvia 333 Increase349 Increase391 Increase443 Increase493 Increase518 Increase592 Increase749
European Union Czech Republic 274 Increase308 Increase385 Increase463 Increase509 Increase541 Increase620 Increase736
 Belarus 632 Decrease626 Decrease565 Decrease557 Increase564 Steady564 Increase594 Increase731
 Tunisia 176 Increase203 Increase232 Increase286 Increase358 Increase461 Increase550 Increase731
 Australia 269 Increase298 Increase332 Increase372 Increase459 Increase520 Increase548 Increase673
 Egypt 298 Decrease279 Increase315 Increase355 Increase475 Increase549 Increase573 Increase636
 Peru 256 Increase284 Decrease251 Increase285 Increase325 Increase375 Increase466 Increase617
 Equador 292 Increase342 Increase371 Decrease330 Increase495 Decrease414 Increase469 Increase615
European Union Luxembourg 144 Increase166 Increase193 Increase237 Increase295 Increase387 Increase472 Increase605
 Lebanon 162 Increase218 Increase325 Increase440 Increase565 Increase607 Decrease567 Increase604
 Chile 183 Increase216 Decrease214 Increase236 Increase306 Increase339 Increase409 Increase586
 Israel 108 Increase135 Increase178 Increase198 Increase268 Increase337 Increase401 Increase569
 Japan 397 Increase440 Increase450 Increase460 Decrease455 Decrease441 Increase483 Increase568
 Iraq 126 Increase228 Increase285 Increase352 Increase404 Increase486 Increase578 Decrease555
European Union Slovakia 164 Increase207 Increase248 Increase287 Increase322 Increase324 Increase393 Increase491
 Georgia 727 Decrease617 Decrease531 Decrease453 Decrease450 Decrease447 Increase467 Increase490
 Vietnam 77 Increase124 Increase194 Increase324 Increase515 Increase686 Decrease640 Decrease473
European Union Croatia 174 Increase222 Increase300 Increase350 Increase375 Increase399 Increase429 Increase464
 Gambia 152 Decrease151 Decrease149 Increase156 Increase186 Increase239 Increase274 Increase464
European Union Estonia 121 Increase157 Increase192 Increase228 Increase259 Increase290 Increase316 Increase373
 Timor Leste 169 Increase188 Increase207 Increase263 Increase344 Decrease291 Decrease234 Increase361
 Jordan 138 Increase189 Increase293 Increase321 Increase456 Increase459 Decrease385 Decrease313
 Serbia 192 Decrease188 Increase205 Decrease201 Increase219 Increase234 Increase274 Increase311
 Cameroon 127 Increase169 Decrease148 Increase172 Increase183 Increase221 Increase249 Increase306
European Union Slovenia 96 Increase117 Increase136 Increase151 Increase173 Increase209 Increase251 Increase290
 DRC 235 Decrease225 Increase234 Increase240 Increase243 Increase253 Decrease247 Increase279
 South Korea 182 Increase215 Decrease206 Decrease172 Increase200 Increase228 Decrease226 Increase271
 Uruguay 122 Increase127 Increase133 Decrease132 Increase171 Increase191 Increase226 Increase255
 Ghana 137 Increase141 Increase146 Decrease142 Increase173 Increase185 Increase212 Increase251
 Ivory Coast 121 Increase132 Decrease129 Increase148 Increase169 Increase191 Decrease189 Increase193
 Dominican Republic 132 Increase136 Increase147 Steady147 Increase161 Increase172 Decrease171 Increase181
 Eritrea 40 Increase130 Increase155 Increase206 Increase209 Increase213 Decrease209 Decrease178
 Sudan 38 Increase50 Decrease28 Increase60 Increase105 Increase139 Increase171 Increase177
European Union Cyprus 12 Increase29 Increase43 Increase59 Increase84 Increase102 Increase126 Increase175
 Paraguay 92 Increase103 Increase118 Decrease102 Increase124 Increase134 Increase149 Increase167
 Iceland 62 Increase66 Increase70 Increase88 Increase108 Increase119 Increase134 Increase165
 Bolivia 109 Decrease104 Increase105 Increase125 Decrease120 Increase130 Increase137 Increase154
 Sierra Leone 63 Decrease60 Increase64 Increase76 Increase88 Increase95 Increase106 Increase152
 New Zealand 39 Increase45 Increase55 Increase73 Increase84 Decrease82 Increase104 Increase150
European Union Malta 25 Decrease24 Increase42 Increase47 Increase61 Increase85 Increase109 Increase146
 Sri Lanka 60 Increase77 Decrease72 Increase83 Increase89 Increase102 Increase106 Increase129
 Libya 196 Decrease96 Increase126 Decrease115 Increase168 Decrease163 Decrease140 Decrease127
 Malaysia 59 Increase60 Increase62 Increase67 Increase90 Increase107 Decrease105 Increase120
 Kenya 64 Increase75 Increase78 Increase97 Increase107 Decrease106 Increase107 Increase111
 Singapore 28 Increase38 Decrease32 Increase40 Increase52 Increase77 Increase93 Increase109
 Costa Rica 53 Increase61 Increase80 Increase86 Decrease81 Decrease78 Increase94 Increase101
 Albania 42 Increase47 Increase59 Increase85 Decrease84 Increase85 Increase91 Increase99
 Armenia 74 Increase89 Increase102 Decrease78 Increase81 Increase83 Decrease82 Increase98
 Guatemala 51 Decrease43 Steady43 Increase50 Increase59 Increase71 Increase79 Increase94
 Panama 27 Increase32 Increase61 Increase75 Decrease66 Increase67 Decrease64 Increase91
 Zimbabwe 38 Decrease37 Increase52 Increase64 Steady64 Increase67 Increase72 Increase89
 Congo 64 Increase83 Decrease73 Increase80 Decrease79 Increase88 Decrease83 Steady83
 Mali 45 Increase57 Decrease49 Increase52 Steady52 Increase75 Decrease65 Increase82
 El Salvador 36 Increase38 Increase44 Increase46 Increase54 Increase50 Increase55 Increase79
 South Sudan 0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Increase39 Increase53 Increase64 Increase70
 Somalia 54 Decrease51 Decrease47 Increase64 Decrease42 Increase63 Decrease61 Increase70
 Ethiopia 51 Increase53 Decrease48 Increase50 Increase57 Increase58 Increase60 Increase68
 Azerbaijan 46 Decrease35 Increase50 Decrease47 Increase67 Decrease65 Decrease52 Increase68
 Togo 35 Increase37 Decrease30 Increase31 Increase37 Steady37 Increase50 Increase67
 North Macedonia 27 Increase33 Increase43 Increase55 Increase66 Decrease50 Increase57 Increase66
 Palestine 52 Increase73 Decrease62 Increase70 Increase79 Increase86 Decrease61 Increase66
 Honduras 30 Increase32 Increase36 Increase41 Increase48 Steady48 Increase58 Increase64
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 57 Decrease54 Increase59 Decrease58 Increase59 Decrease58 Increase61 Increase63
 Nicaragua 16 Decrease15 Increase16 Increase23 Increase35 Increase38 Increase48 Increase61
 Saudi Arabia 20 Increase98 Increase115 Increase165 Increase182 Decrease175 Decrease97 Decrease59
 Taiwan 36 Increase39 Decrease32 Increase41 Decrease36 Increase42 Increase46 Increase58
 Saint Kitts and Nevis 15 Increase17 Increase31 Increase41 Increase67 Decrease46 Steady46 Increase56
 Tanzania 32 Decrease27 Decrease26 Increase35 Increase40 Decrease29 Increase37 Increase48
 Cambodia 10 Increase19 Decrease9 Increase17 Increase29 Increase50 Decrease46 Increase48
 Uganda 18 Increase25 Increase26 Steady26 Increase32 Increase37 Increase43 Increase46
 Equatorial Guinea 51 Increase55 Increase62 Decrease58 Increase69 Decrease44 Steady44 Increase45
 Namibia 18 Decrease16 Increase18 Increase20 Increase28 Increase32 Increase34 Increase41
 Tajikistan 15 Increase16 Increase18 Increase24 Increase26 Increase32 Increase34 Increase39
 Mauritius 17 Increase22 Decrease19 Increase33 Increase34 Decrease32 Decrease27 Increase37
 Kyrgyzstan 31 Decrease27 Increase31 Decrease26 Increase27 Increase36 Decrease33 Increase36
 Yemen 18 Steady18 Decrease14 Increase16 Increase29 Increase40 Increase44 Decrease34
 Gabon 17 Increase22 Decrease21 Increase24 Increase28 Increase30 Decrease27 Increase33
 Rwanda 20 Increase26 Increase33 Decrease28 Increase29 Steady29 Decrease27 Increase31
 Zambia 7 Decrease5 Increase9 Decrease8 Increase13 Increase21 Increase29 Steady29
 Mauritania 24 Increase25 Steady25 Increase27 Decrease23 Increase24 Decrease23 Increase29
 Burkina Faso 13 Increase17 Increase24 Steady24 Increase30 Steady30 Decrease27 Steady27
 Kosovo 27 Decrease21 Increase43 Decrease39 Decrease36 Decrease35 Decrease26 Increase27
 Kuwait 1 Increase6 Increase29 Decrease21 Increase57 Decrease43 Decrease33 Decrease25
 Mongolia 32 Decrease27 Steady27 Decrease23 Decrease20 Increase22 Increase24 Increase25
 Benin 12 Steady12 Decrease11 Increase12 Decrease11 Decrease10 Increase14 Increase23
Unknown 14 Increase15 Decrease13 Decrease9 Increase11 Increase29 Decrease22 Increase23
 Haiti 5 Increase6 Increase7 Decrease5 Increase9 Increase10 Increase14 Increase22
 Montenegro 9 Increase12 Steady12 Decrease11 Increase16 Decrease15 Increase19 Increase21
Stateless 0 Steady0 Increase31 Decrease30 Increase33 Decrease30 Decrease24 Decrease20
 Liberia 16 Decrease13 Decrease12 Increase14 Steady14 Increase16 Decrease15 Increase19
 Malawi 12 Increase17 Increase19 Steady19 Decrease18 Decrease17 Increase20 Decrease19
 Andorra 3 Increase9 Increase11 Increase16 Decrease13 Increase15 Decrease11 Increase19
 Trinidad and Tobago 8 Decrease7 Increase12 Decrease10 Increase14 Increase16 Increase17 Increase19
 Botswana 7 Decrease4 Increase7 Steady7 Decrease4 Increase8 Increase12 Increase18
 Jamaica 12 Increase15 Decrease13 Steady13 Increase14 Steady14 Increase17 Steady17
 Madagascar 9 Decrease7 Increase9 Increase10 Increase11 Increase14 Increase16 Decrease15
 Dominica 7 Decrease5 Increase9 Decrease8 Increase13 Increase19 Increase20 Decrease15
 Eswatini 8 Decrease4 Increase5 Steady5 Increase6 Increase7 Increase10 Increase13
 Bahrain 4 Increase11 Decrease10 Increase13 Decrease12 Steady12 Steady12 Increase13
 Turkmenistan 12 Decrease5 Increase7 Increase11 Increase12 Increase13 Steady13 Decrease12
 Bhutan 1 Increase3 Increase4 Increase5 Steady5 Increase7 Steady7 Increase10
 United Arab Emirates 5 Increase9 Increase25 Decrease19 Increase31 Increase36 Decrease20 Decrease10
 Niger 6 Decrease1 Increase2 Decrease1 Steady1 Increase2 Increase8 Increase9
 Liechtenstein 3 Increase8 Steady8 Steady8 Steady8 Increase10 Decrease8 Increase9
 Central African Republic 7 Increase8 Increase9 Steady9 Steady9 Decrease8 Steady8 Steady8
 Guyana 4 Increase7 Increase9 Steady9 Steady9 Increase11 Steady11 Decrease8
 Maldives 3 Steady3 Increase6 Increase9 Decrease8 Decrease7 Steady7 Increase8
 Myanmar 7 Increase9 Increase10 Decrease5 Decrease3 Steady3 Increase6 Increase8
 Antigua and Barbuda 1 Steady0 Steady0 Increase5 Decrease1 Increase12 Steady12 Decrease7
 Qatar 0 Increase4 Decrease0 Increase1 Increase3 Increase11 Decrease1 Increase7
 Burundi 6 Steady6 Steady6 Steady6 Steady6 Increase11 Decrease10 Decrease5
 Seychelles 6 Increase7 Steady7 Increase10 Decrease5 Increase11 Decrease8 Decrease5
 Grenada 4 Steady4 Steady4 Decrease3 Increase4 Decrease3 Decrease2 Increase5
 Suriname 0 Steady0 Steady0 Steady0 Increase1 Increase3 Increase4 Increase5
Other countries (below 5) 21 Increase19 Increase32 Decrease9 Increase31 Decrease22 Decrease14 Increase47
Total foreigners 388,731 Increase397,731 Increase421,711 Increase480,300 Increase590,348 Increase662,095 Increase698,887 Increase781,915
Share of the population[161] 3.76% Increase3.86% Increase4.10% Increase4.67% Increase5.73% Increase6.43% Increase6.75% Increase7.47%

The following table deals with the number of foreigners from selected communities in selected years, as well as their relative growth during specific timespans.

The 20 largest legal immigrant communities in 2007 compared with their numbers in 1999
*: European Union citizenship
P: Portuguese speaking
Legal foreign residents Number in 1999 2001

census [170][171]

2002[172][173] 2004[174][175] 2006[176] 2007 Growth in percentage(1999–2007) 2011[170] % (2011)[170] change

2001–2011[170]

BraziliansP 20,851 31,869 58,370 66,907 73,384 66,354 + 218% 109,787 27.8% +244.5%
CapeverdeansP 43,951 33,145 59,678 64,164 68,145 63,925 + 45% 38,895 9.9% +17.3%
AngolansP 17,721 37,014 31,332 35,264 33,215 32,728 + 85% 26,954 6.8% −27.2%
Guineans-BissauP 14,217 15,824 22,855 25,148 24,513 23,733 + 67% 16,360 4.1% +3.4%
SantomeansP 4,809 8,517 8,951 10,483 10,761 10,627 + 121% 10,408 2.6% +22.2%
MozambicansP 4,502 4,749 5,312 5,471 5,854 5,681 + 26% 3,028
Ukrainians 123 10,793 60,571 66,227 41,870 39,480 + 31998% 33,790 8.6% +213.1%
Romanians* 224 2,661 10,673 12,155 10,299 19,155 + 8451% 24,356 6.2% +815.3%
Spanish* 11,122 9,047 14,587 15,916 16,597 18,030 + 62% 10,486 2.7% +15.9%
British* 13,335 8,227 15,899 18,005 19,592 23,608 + 77% 15,774 4.0% +91.7%
Moldovans 3 2,984 11,817 13,689 12,673 14,053 + 468333% 10,475 2.7% +251.0%
Russians 448 597 8,211 1,158 4,945 5,114 + 1042% 4,878
French* 6,499 15,359 8,364 9,312 9,733 10,556 + 62% 14,360 3.6% −6.5%
MacaneseP 2,762 2,176 4,468 9,518 9,695 10,448 + 278% 11,458 2.9% +426.6%
Indians 1,211 1,361 1,503 5,088 3,614 4,104 + 239% 5,384
Pakistanis 1,031 1,180 4,212 2,125 2,474
Germans* 9,605 15,498 + 61% 9,054
US-Americans 7,975 8,264 + 4% 2,331
Dutch* 3,675 6,589 + 79% 4,862
Italians* 2,700 5,985 + 122% 5,338
Bulgarians* 347 5,028 + 1349% 8,606
Total non-EU 340,187 374,652 355,113
European Union 65,393 74,542 79,774
Total 405,580 449,194 434,887

Acquisitions of citizenship

Central Mosque of Lisbon

Many earlier immigrants have now become naturalized citizens: 342,458 people from 2008 to 2022,[177] 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, 19,211 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, 342,458 people (3.27% of the current Portuguese population) obtained Portuguese citizenship according to the latest INE data. These people are not counted among foreigners (see above table) as they are Portuguese citizens in all respects.[178]

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.

Nationality Acquisitions of Citizenship

(2008–2022)[178][6]

 Brazil 89,713
 Cape Verde 55,109
 Ukraine 32,722
 Guinea-Bissau 27,043
 Angola 25,805
 Moldova 19,211
 São Tomé and Príncipe 14,990
 India 12,202
European Union Romania 6,922
   Nepal 6,473
 Russia 5,540
 Pakistan 5,288
 Bangladesh 4,951
 Guinea 3,682
 Mozambique 2,974
 Venezuela 2,579
 Israel 2,494
 Morocco 2,332
 Senegal 2,275
 China 1,886
European Union Bulgaria 1,117
 Georgia 1,069
 United Kingdom 1,055
 Cuba 915
 Colombia 749
 Belarus 678
European Union Spain 604
 United States 592
 Nigeria 485
 Iran 468
 Ecuador 465
 France 457
 Kazakhstan 452
 Philippines 417
 Argentina 401
 Turkey 380
 Italy 379
 Germany 368
 South Africa 338
 Egypt 307
 Algeria 306
 Uzbekistan 300
 Poland 285
 Peru 266
 Mexico 248
 Ghana 231
 Gambia 204
 Serbia 201
 DR Congo 193
 Tunisia 186
 Syria 183
 Canada 166
 Ivory Coast 156
 Cameroon 132
 Lebanon 128
 Thailand 118
 Belgium 117
 Netherlands 117
  Switzerland 115
 Chile 114
 Bolivia 105
 Taiwan 103
 Mali 96
 Congo 94
 Armenia 89
 Dominican Republic 89
 Togo 85
 Hungary 79
 Sierra Leone 77
 Latvia 72
 Iraq 70
 Australia 69
 Palestine 66
 Uruguay 65
 Albania 61
 Jordan 61
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 52
 Paraguay 49
 Guyana 47
 Tanzania 46
 Sri Lanka 45
 Kyrgyzstan 43
 Dominica 42
 Libya 42
 Zimbabwe 42
 Equatorial Guinea 38
 Guatemala 38
 Kenya 35
 Kosovo 35
 Benin 34
 Croatia 34
 Lithuania 33
 Mauritania 33
 El Salvador 32
 Somalia 32
 Afghanistan 31
 Sweden 31
 Costa Rica 29
 Panama 28
 Vietnam 28
 North Macedonia 27
 Czech Republic 24
 Eritrea 24
 Greece 24
 Ethiopia 22
 Liberia 22
 Azerbaijan 21
 Ireland 21
 Honduras 19
 Gabon 18
 Rwanda 17
 Japan 15
 Malaysia 15
 Montenegro 15
 Burkina Faso 14
 Sudan 14
 Finland 14
 Yemen 13
 New Zealand 12
 Nicaragua 12
 Slovakia 12
 Tajikistan 11
 Estonia 10
 Luxembourg 10
 Madagascar 10
 South Korea 10
 Denmark 9
 Indonesia 9
 Mauritius 9
 Aruba 8
 East Timor 8
 Jamaica 8
 Malawi 8
 Mongolia 8
 Uganda 8
 Zambia 8
 Andorra 7
 Turkmenistan 7
 Eswatini 6
 Austria 5
 Belize 5
 Norway 5
 Seychelles 5
Other countries (below 5) 76

Illegal immigration

In 2006 the Portuguese government made it easier for second generation immigrants to gain citizenship to prevent illegal immigration.[179][180] The rules were modified in 2022, making it even easier for children of foreigners to get access to the Portuguese citizenship.[181]

Illegal immigration rose by 55% in 2009, with most of the illegals being Brazilian nationals.[182] In 2012 there were estimated to be around 130,000 immigrants from Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova illegally living in Portugal and mainly working in agriculture and services.[183][184][185] As of 2024, there were an estimated 400,000 people waiting for their Portuguese residency card[186], this being a sharp increase of 100% from 2023, when around 200,000 people were living in the country without a residency permit, of whom around half were Brazilians.[187]

Employers of illegal immigrants in Portugal face jail terms.[188]

Jewish immigration

Engraving from ancient Tomar synagogue dating from 1307

In 1496 the Portuguese monarchy issued an expulsion decree targeting Jews and Moors living in Portugal. This decree forced many Jews to either convert to Christianity (leading to the emergence of Cristão-novos and of Crypto-Judaism practices) or leave the country, leading to a diaspora of Portuguese Jews throughout Europe and the Americas.[189][190][191]

Emigrants in front of a Jewish welfare kitchen (Cosinha Economica Israelita) waiting for the food to be distributed, May 1941

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.[192][193][194][195][196][197][198]

Museum in Vilar Formoso reminding the Jews who were hosted in Portugal during WWII

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.[199][200]

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.[201]

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.[202][203][204][205][206]

Lisbon synagogue, built in 1904

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.[207][208][209][210][211]

Vilar Formoso Museum

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.[212][213][214] In particular, from 2015 to 2021 56,619 people who claimed Sephardic ancestry were able to obtain Portuguese citizenship.[215] 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.

Immigration detention

In Portugal, the Ministry of Interior is responsible for immigration matters. The country currently has one officially designated immigration detention centre, Unidade Habitacional de Santo António, located in Porto. Opened in 2006, the centre is managed by the Foreigners and Borders Service (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras, SEF).[216]

There are also five Temporary Installation Centres (Centros de Instalação Temporária, CIT) located in each major airport, including that of Porto, Lisbon, Faro, Funchal, and Ponta Delgada. Besides this government-led places, in Lisbon there is the Bobadela reception centre for asylum seekers run by the Portuguese Council for Asylum Seekers (Conselho Português para os Refugiados, CPR) and the Pedro Arupe reception centre managed by the Jesuit Refugee Service.

Opposition to immigration

Portugal had little immigration until a sudden influx in the 1970s, as ex-colonists, most of them ethnically white, returned.[217] After the former Portuguese African colonies gained independence, and because nationals of Portuguese-speaking nations can freely live and work in Portugal without much bureaucracy, an incremental growth of immigration from Portugal's former overseas possessions was observed over the past few decades, primarily from Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola and Mozambique.[218][219] The country now has are nearly 240,000 Brazilians[220] and about 350,000 people born in an African country.[221] Although immigrants are mostly concentrated in urban and suburban areas, mainly on Portugal's coast, Portuguese authorities have in recent times encouraged immigration, notably from Brazil, to rural areas, in an effort to increase an ever shrinking population.[222] The growth of the number of immigrants has been linked to an escalation of anti-immigration sentiments and protests throughout Portugal since the mids 2000's.[223][224]

Until recently,[when?] far-right party "National Renewal Party", known as PNR, was the only one in Portugal which actively targeted[clarification needed] the mass-immigration and ethnic minorities (mainly related to Gypsy and African communities) issues.[225][226] After years of growing support—0.09% 4,712 2002, 0.16% 9,374 2005, 0.20% 11,503 2009, 0.31% 17,548 2011— it managed 0.50%, or 27,269, of the electorate in the 2015 Portuguese legislative election. Since 2019, far-right political party CHEGA! has gained traction in the country. Following the 2019 Portuguese legislative election, the party's president, André Ventura, assured a seat in Assembly of the Republic, after having received over 66,000 votes, 1,3% of the electorate.[227] In the 2020 Azorean regional election, the party secured two assemblyman to the regional parliament[228] and, during the 2021 Portuguese presidential election, André Ventura managed to gather approximately 500,000 votes, 12% of the total.[229] The party opposes immigration and has been described by the media and mainstream parties as xenophobic.[230] CHEGA! has an estimated 28,000 militant members[231] and is expected to continue to rise in popularity and political force.[232]

Maps

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.[233]

Comparison with other European Union countries 2023

According to Eurostat 59.9 million people lived in the European Union in 2023 who were born outside their resident country. This corresponds to 13.35% of the total EU population. Of these, 31.4 million (9.44%) were born outside the EU and 17.5 million (3.91%) were born in another EU member state.[234][235]

Country Total population (1000) Total Foreign-born (1000) % Born in other EU state (1000) % Born in a non EU state (1000) %
EU 27 448,754 59,902 13.3 17,538 3.9 31,368 6.3
Germany 84,359 16,476 19.5 6,274 7.4 10,202 12.1
France 68,173 8,942 13.1 1,989 2.9 6,953 10.2
Spain 48,085 8,204 17.1 1,580 3.3 6,624 13.8
Italy 58,997 6,417 10.9 1,563 2.6 4,854 8.2
Netherlands 17,811 2,777 15.6 748 4.2 2,029 11.4
Greece 10,414 1,173 11.3 235 2.2 938 9.0
Sweden 10,522 2,144 20.4 548 5.2 1,596 15.2
Austria 9,105 1,963 21.6 863 9.5 1,100 12.1
Belgium 11,743 2,247 19.1 938 8.0 1,309 11.1
Portugal 10,467 1,684 16.1 378 3.6 1,306 12.5
Denmark 5,933 804 13.6 263 4.4 541 9.1
Finland 5,564 461 8.3 131 2.4 330 5.9
Poland 36,754 933 2.5 231 0.6 702 1.9
Czech Republic 10,828 764 7.1 139 1.3 625 5.8
Hungary 9,600 644 6.7 342 3.6 302 3.1
Romania 19,055 530 2.8 202 1.1 328 1.7
Slovakia 5,429 213 3.9 156 2.9 57 1.0
Bulgaria 6,448 169 2.6 58 0.9 111 1.7
Ireland 5,271 1,150 21.8 348 6.6 802 15.2
Rally in Lisbon
Rally in Lisbon
Rally against the Russian invasion of Ukraine organised by the Ukrainian community
Russian community in Portugal standing with Ukrainians against the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Immigrants in Odemira
Multiethnic Carnival in Agualva
Indian restaurant in São João
Rally in Amadora
Tree planted by the Portuguese-Ukrainian youth association in Lisbon
British supermarket in Portimão
French brasserie in Porto
Chinese shop in Albufeira
Street vendors in Cacém
Street scene in Cacém
Anti-racist rally in Lisbon, 2017
Chinese restaurant in Olhos de Água
Chinese restaurant in Areias de São João
Bangladeshi market in Lisbon
Kebab in Porto
Bangladeshi activity in Porto
Chinese restaurant in Algarve
Kebab in Tavira
Chinese shop in Lisbon
Kebab in Arroios, Lisbon
Bank of China representation in Lisbon
Trilingual (Portuguese-English-Chinese) leaflet in Portugal
Building of Portuguese Migration Authority
Rally in Alentejo
Sikhs in Portugal
South Asians in Vila Nova de Milfontes
British shop in ALbufeira
German establishment in Algarve
Chinese shop in Vale de Paraíso
Chinese shop in Albufeira
Russian church in Fátima
Chinese restaurant in Lisbon
Döner Kebab in Algarve
Chinese restaurant in Faro
Döner Kebab in Almancil
Chinese restaurant in Albufeira
Ukraine Avenue in Lisbon, inaugurated in 2008
Kebab house in Lisbon
Indian cuisine found in Portugal
Kebab in Lisbon
Pita house in Albufeira
Fusion Indo-Nepali-Portuguese restaurant
Pita house in Algarve
Street scene in multiethnic parish of Santa Maria Maior
Mahatma Gandhi statue in Lisbon
Samosas or, in Portuguese, Chamuças, a South Asian delicacy widely available in Portugal
Kebab shop
Goan restaurant
Indian-Italian restaurant
Japanese style restaurant in Faro
Italian gelato in Belém
Japanese-Brazilian fusion in Algarve
German language sign in Porto
Foreign language bookstore in Porto
Kebab in Lisbon
Chinese language sign in Portugal
Billboard for elections in Guinea-Bissau found in Odivelas
Monumento to Euromaidan victims in Braga
Protest in Portugal asking for Jus Soli
Monument to Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko in Belém
Japanese sushi bar in Figueira da Foz
Indian restaurant in Albufeira
Japanese restaurant in Albufeira
Tandoori restaurant in Albufeira
Sushi restaurant in Lisbon
Indian business in Algarve
Sushi bar in Algarve
Indian restaurant in Albufeira
French language graffiti in Portugal
Sushi restaurant in Portugal offering AYCE
French language graffiti in Lisbon
Sushi in Faro
Chinese-Japanese fusion restaurant
Multi-ethnic youth
Multiethnicity in Prior Velho
Youth in Prior Velho
Youth in Prior Velho
Rally sustaining the ceasefire in Gaza, October 2023
Rally sustaining the ceasefire in Gaza, October 2023
Rally in Lisbon
Turkish flag in Lisbon
Rally sustaining the ceasefire in Gaza, October 2023
Rally sustaining the ceasefire in Gaza, October 2023
Rally sustaining the ceasefire in Gaza, December 2023
Rally in Lisbon
Rally in Lisbon
Dominicans in Lisbon in occasion of the 2020 Dominican Republic general election
Jinnah cap in Alentejo
Black-Portuguese people in Lisbon
Romani girl in Lisbon
Chinese dragon in Lisbon
Asian puppets in Museu da Marioneta, Lisbon
Political rally
Portuguese fans celebrating the country's Euro 2016 cup win
Portuguese-Romanis rallying in Lisbon
Rally in Lisbon
Thai pavillion in Lisbon
South Asian workers in Lisbon
South Asian family in Belém
Multicultural sports event in Lisbon
Multicultural family in Parque das Nações
Street scene in Parque das Nações
Pro inclusivity street art in Parque das Nações
Satellite view of Estrela de Africa, one of the 35 shantytowns that existed in Amadora in 1995. Mainly inhabited by Cape Verdean, the neighbourhood was demolished in 2017.[236][237][238]
Quinta do Mocho in Loures hosts a large African diaspora
Vale da Amoreira, near Lisbon, has a large African diaspora
Vale da Amoreira
Nems served in Lisbon
Performance by the by the Portuguese Yoga Confederation
Bairro da Jamaica, demolished in 2024, hosted around 800 African immigrants [239]
Book about Amílcar Cabral sold in Vale da Amoreira
Buddha statue in Portugal


See also

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