The Foreigners Law, which includes an anti-immigration package, comes into force this Thursday (23), and may affect Brazilians living in the country.
The new decree limits visas for job searches by “restricting the possibility of family reunification of immigrants of foreigners with residence permits in Portugal — not covering refugees — and changing the conditions for granting residence permits to citizens of Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).
From now on, visas for qualified work in Portugal are intended for people with “specialized technical skills”, which will be defined later by the Portuguese government.
The measure should affect sectors considered critical in Portugal, such as construction civil, agriculture e business.
The government of Portugal announced on Wednesday (22) that visa application appointments for those looking for work must be canceled from this Thursday (23), as they will be replaced by qualified labor.
According to the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal, after the law comes into force, consultancy posts will not be able to accept visa applications for seeking work that are not qualified.
Portugal’s Migration and Asylum Agency estimates that more than 1.5 million foreign citizens were legally residing in Portugal last year, double the number recorded three years earlier.
The are the largest group, with more than 450 thousand legal immigrants.
Impact on the Brazilian community
In an interview with CNNMiguel Relvas, former deputy minister of the Prime Minister of Portugal and columnist for CNN Portugal, analyzed that the new one should have little impact on the lives of Brazilians.
According to Relvas, despite changes in migration rules, the Brazilian community continues to be fundamental to Portuguese economic growth.
Brazilians currently represent 32% of immigrants in Portugal, constituting the largest foreign community in the country.
According to the former minister, the Portuguese economy has benefited significantly from the Brazilian presence.
Several sectors, especially tourism, depend on the immigrant workforce to maintain their growth.
“The Brazilian presence has stood out for its professional qualifications and technical contribution”, states Relvas.
