Portugal’s new immigration rules, announced on Monday, came into force at midnight following publication of the legal changes in the Official Gazette (Diário da República).
The end of expressions of interest
The decree-law revokes the residence permit procedures based on expressions of interest (manifestações de interesse) provided for in Law No. 23/2007 of 4 July.
Previously, a 2017 legislative amendment allowed people to regularise their stay in Portugal without a valid visa, through an expression of interest and a promise of an employment contract.
Why did the regime change?
However, the government now considers that measure to have been hasty, undermining the principles of the Schengen Area and facilitating abuse by criminal networks linked to human trafficking and illegal immigration.
These changes led to a significant increase in regularisation applications, overloading immigration systems and creating situations of vulnerability.
Who is protected?
The decree-law now published revokes the residence permit instruments based on expressions of interest, but protects foreign nationals who have already started residence permit procedures under those rules.
The Action Plan for Migration
The Action Plan for Migration, approved by the Council of Ministers, includes measures to end this exceptional regime and strengthen the response capacity of priority consular posts, as well as turning the current mobility visa for CPLP immigrants into a Schengen visa, among other initiatives.
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