With its warm climate, comparatively affordable life and a rich culture, Portugal spoke to visitors for a long time, regardless of whether it is a vacation or a more permanent step.
The southwestern European country was one Top goal for migrantsThanks to his formerly liberal immigration policy and what was considered top Integration model. It was continuously evaluated in the top 10 target countries Ranking system of the migrant Integration Policy Institute InstituteWhich, among other things, found the advantages of the Portugal labor market and citizenship model.
And people of all economic backgrounds are folded to Portugal – from migrants who are looking for work and Digital nomads Use an affordable place to Sunset migration of pensioners. Last year the Ministry of Migration and Interior Affairs of the European Commission reported That more than one million foreign citizens lived in Portugal – the highest people who were ever recorded in the country – to which around 10 percent of the population is.
So, the news last Saturday that Portugal’s caretaker government Plans to rule out around 18,000 undocumented foreigners Life in the country without permission seems to be a sudden change, with Prime Minister Luis Montenegro being accused by critics take one side From the game book by US President Donald Trump.
Montenegro gave no specific reason for the decision, but last year when he harmed the country’s migration lawsHe said Portugal could not “have wide -open doors” and had prioritized the entry into qualified specialists, students, those from Portuguese -speaking countries and people who are looking for a family reunion.
Portugal has “slipped on a slippery slope” in the past two years, which was partly driven by an increase in housing costs, in which the migration was politicized and polarized from the far right, Anna Triandafyllidou, the Canada Excellence Research Chair in migration and integration at the Metropolitan University in Toronto.
“In contrast to other South European countries, Portugal was very inviting about ethnic and racist density. Suddenly these people were targeted because they were visible,” Triandafyllidou told CBC News.
Nevertheless, she added, the government’s plans to rule out foreigners are “a kind of unknown for Portugal”.
“This kind of round -round and deporting people – it is very extreme.”
A “silent” migration
Portugal differs from other South European countries by maintaining its post -colonial ties, which leads to a racist -mixed hiking population, but with language and cultural similarities, said Triandafyllidou.
Most of the migration to Portugal has traditionally been flown from Portuguese -speaking countries such as Brazil, Cape Verde and Angola Integral human development Website.
In addition, there was a “silent” migration of workers without papers from South Asian countries that were lured by the opportunity to maintain a legal status in the EU. Foreign policy Magazine and Agence France Press reported.
Under the former socialist government, Portugal had some of the most open immigration policy in Europe.
By 2024, when Portugal’s center-right government tightened some immigration rules, a widespread mechanism, which was described as “manifestation”, allowed non-EU migrants without an employment contract to move to Portugal after payment of social security and apply for the residence.
Triandafyllidou noticed that she has observed a South Asian presence in Lisbon, the country’s capital, especially in restaurants and food supply. Foreign policy writes this in Lisbon: “Nepalis Staff Restaurant Küchen and Bangladensungen operate many of the city’s fruit shops.”
And AFP says that even in the most traditional fishing villages near Porto “there are half of the crews from Indonesians”.
In a report from 2023, the migration observatory said that some sectors would collapse without foreign workers. Still according to that The latest immigration barometer of the European Commission68 percent of Portuguese citizens consider immigration policy in Portugal to be too painful.
‘Affordable life’ … for some
In the meantime, Portugal has a number of deliberate policies that aim to attract wealthy foreign investments. This includes “golden visa“Program that has been associated with the Residency rights to real estate investments for years, the tax benefits offered by the state and the digital nomad visa for remote employees.
Last month, International Living Magazine’s Annual global pension index Portugal No. 2 on its list of top countries 2025, which are retired, directly behind Panama. The index repeated Portugal’s “affordable life” and found that “a few can live comfortably” at 3,480 to $ 4,200 per month.
Real estate sales in the AlgarveThe popular southern tip of the country is increasing. Also the Aga KhanAs one of the richest men in the world, in 2015 moved to Lisbon, where he lived until his death in February.
However, this arrival of wealthy foreigners also worsened a real estate crisis that was rooted in a chronic lack of affordable living space. Rents in Lisbon have increased by 94 percent since 2015, and real estate prices have increased by 186 percent, as reported by Reuters.
This prices both the locals and especially migrants from non-EU countries. Data in the Migration Observatory showed that 19 percent of people who came from outside the European Union in Portugal lived in overcrowded accommodations, compared to around eight percent of Portuguese, since people from countries such as Nepal and Bangladesh are particularly affected.
Portugal is still one of the poorest nations in Western Europe with the lowest average wages in the region.
“There are two extreme Reuters last year.
Migration politicized
The streets in Lisbon are often full of marches and rallies – for affordable apartments, for migrant rights and against more people who cross the limits. In the past month, the Portuguese turmoil arrested several ultra rights demonstrators after groups called a rally that had banned the urban authorities to protest the growing number of immigrants.
And on May 18, the country will have an early choice of parliament. Montenegro called the Snap voting list in March after his minority government lost a vote in parliament and stepped down.
The right-wing extremist Chega party rose to third place at the election of last year.
In his New campaign platformAndré Ventura, leader of Chega, condemned what he describes as “a complete lack of control at our limits”, and wrote in Portuguese that “it is urgently to restore the normality of the river of foreigners that occur in Portugal”.
Under the priorities of immigration, Chega only wants the nationality for those who “have an effective relationship with the Portuguese state, speak language, know history and accept culture”. And those who occur illegally should be returned to their country of origin, adds Ventura.
“I think what we see in Portugal is very cheap politicization,” said Triandafyllidou.
“In Europe, fear of extreme rights urges these conservative governments into extreme solutions to try to regain the voices – which does not happen.”
“Extension is not a solution!”
After the government of Montenegro announced its Expulsion plan The opposition leader accused him of last Saturday I try to get closer to the Chega party. He called the move a “Trumpization” of Montenegros campaign, an indication of the border reviews of US President Donald Trump.
In January, Ventura said, who traveled to Washington because of Trump’s inauguration – he approved Trump’s announcement that he was planning to deport millions of illegal immigrants and added that “safe countries have strong borders,” reported the Portugal News.
Montenegro on his part has denied that the exclusion order was accelerated Until the upcoming election on May 18 and said it was part of the process that started in June last year. He also refuted the allusion to Trump, according to the Portugal pulse News page.
But as the expulsion orders went out, with around 4,500 people who already have 20 days until they have to go, they have to go, so they have to go Media reportsSome immigrant associations have asked people to “fight” and “resist”.
“Extension is not a solution!” wrote the Solidarity of the immigrants (Solidarity of the immigrants) non-profit on his Facebook page last week.
“We will always fight! Strength, friends! Always resist!”
