In 2007 Portugal had 10,617,575 inhabitants of whom 332,137, or 3.13%, were legal immigrants. In 2017, Portugal had 416,682 legal residents of foreign origin, of which 203,753 identified as male, and 212,929 as female. Brazilians, Ukrainians, Moldovans, Romanians and Russians, Asians as well as Africans are the immigrants in the country.
Immigration
Portugal, long a country of emigration, has now become a meeting country of net immigration, and not just from the last Portuguese overseas territories in India, Africa, and Far East Asia. Since the 1990s, along with a boom in construction, several new waves of Ukrainian, Brazilian, people from the former Portuguese colonies in Africa and other Africans have settled in the country. Those communities currently make up the largest groups of immigrants in Portugal. Romanians, Moldovans and Chinese also have chosen Portugal as a destination. A number of EU citizens have also chosen Portugal as a destination, with a major part of the British, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, German, Swedish communities, among others, being mostly composed of persons looking for quality of life, including an increasing number of pensioners. Immigration to Portugal has grown since the 1990s. Some immigrant communities, like those arrived from Africa and South America, grew as a result of economic emigration - foreigners looking for better economic conditions abroad. 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. However, 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 European countries such as Germany, Britain or Switzerland. Nearly 600,000 people emigrated during years of austerity between 2011 and 2015.
Resident foreigners
While many earlier immigrants have now become naturalised citizens, there are still substantial numbers of foreign citizens resident in Portugal. According to Statistics Portugal there were 10,636,979 persons resident in Portugal in 2010, of whom 103,230 were citizens of other EU countries, and 344,853 were citizens of non EU countries. Brazilians are the most prevalent foreign nationality. The 119,552 resident Brazilians are 1.12% of the total population. Other significant nationalities are the Ukrainians, people from Cape Verde, Romanians, Angolans, people from Guinea-Bissau and citizens of the United Kingdom. There are also Macaneses and Moldovans, people from São Tomé and Príncipe, Germans, Spaniards and Bulgarians, Indians, Russians, French and Italians as well as citizens of the Netherlands and Mozambicans. The numbers of Pakistanis, Americans, Venezuelans, Moroccans, Belgians and Senegalese are also not insignificant. There are numerous additional nationalities present but communities of less than 1,500 persons are not listed here.
In 2006 the Portuguese government made it easier for second generation immigrants to gain citizenship in order to prevent illegal immigration. There are now estimated to be 260,000 immigrants from Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova in Portugal, half of these illegal. Most work in agriculture. Illegal immigration rose by 55% in 2009 most of the illegals being Brazilian nationals Employers of illegal immigrants in Portugal face jail terms.
Another group of immigrants, especially among Non-European citizens, can have the chance of residing in Portugal through making an investment. RBI schemes, also called “golden visa” or “golden passport”, offer Non-European citizens a residency and work permit inside Europe. According to RBI programmes operated by a handful of Member States of EU, Non-European citizens can have an access to residency or citizenship in exchange for specified investments. Under Portugal’s Golden Visa programme, 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 euros which is maintained for five years.
