According to information obtained, the Integrated Immigration and Asylum Mission Agency (AIMA) announced today that initial payments for the cases from March and April of the Agency for Integration, Migrations and Asylum (EMAIMA), as well as May cases from the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), will be settled in the first phase.
However, payments for cases involving expressions of interest from May and CPLP cases from June remain pending.
The delay in payments to around 300 lawyers hired by AIMA under a protocol established with the Bar Association was reported, highlighting multiple complaints from lawyers, who earn 7.50 euros for each immigrant regularization process they review.
João Massano, President of the Bar Association, stated that the Bar Association has received numerous complaints from lawyers who have not yet received their due payments, indicating payment delays since March. Despite the delays, Massano added, professionals are still receiving cases to review.
This week, the Bar Association inquired AIMA on this issue, although the cause of the delays remains unknown. “We will persist in discovering the reason or if it was an oversight,” João Massano commented.
The protocol with AIMA was established last year, allowing each registered lawyer to handle up to 200 cases with the aim of reducing the backlog of cases at AIMA.
