LAW ON FOREIGN NATIONALS: WHAT HAS CHANGED?

With the amendment to the Law on Foreign Nationals and the respective Regulations, the Government intended to establish procedures that allow attracting regulated and integrated immigration, changing the relationships between the public administration and immigrants and guaranteeing conditions for the immigrant’s integration.

Therefore, the amendments aim to:

• Promote regular, safe and orderly flows of migration and strengthen the fight against illegal immigration and human being trafficking;

• Promote mobility and freedom of movement within the CPLP space;

• Respond to the need for labor in various areas (mainly in service sectors such as construction, tourism, catering, and highly qualified activities) in order to revitalize and develop the economy (income circulation, consumption and investments);

• Combat the country’s demographic problem. MAIN CHANGES/IMPLEMENTED MEASURES

• Facilitates visas issuance for CPLP citizens;

• Created a job-seeking visa, allowing entry into Portuguese territory for third-country nationals who come looking for work, for a period of 120+60 days;

• Granting of temporary stay or residency visa to remote workers;

• End of the residency visas quota regime for subordinate work;

• Facilitates the obtaining of a residence visa by foreign students who attend higher education in Portugal;

• Provides for the possibility of granting a temporary stay or residence visa to family members of temporary stay or residence visa applicants, allowing families to enter together into national territory; and

• It simplifies procedures and increases the period of validity of documents.

AMENDMENTS ENTER INTO FORCE ON OCTOBER 30, 2022