In the Council of Ministers, four decrees concerning immigration were approved, introducing changes in the nationality law, the foreigners’ law, the regime for CPLP citizens, and a new proposal for the creation of the National Unit of Foreigners and Borders within the PSP, which was previously rejected in the last legislature.
When asked if tightening rules on the entry and stay of immigrants could negatively impact the economy, Minister António Leitão Amaro argued for the balance of the proposed measures.
“These measures are not surprising and exclude both the logic of wide-open doors and completely closed doors. That would close the national economy to all people flows, which would be profoundly wrong and have a deeply negative effect on the national economy,” he stated.
Minister Leitão Amaro announced a bill for the creation of a foreigners and borders unit in the Public Security Police. The goal is for the country to once again have a “border police.”
Leitão Amaro stated that the aim is to “tighten, limit, and close some entry channels,” such as the declaration of interest, and then redirect other types of flows, recalling the agreement already signed with employers’ confederations for the entry of immigrants with work visas under certain conditions, which is now intended to be extended to higher education institutions.
“If we can attract individuals with higher qualifications, the added value contribution to the national economy and, therefore, to economic growth is greater,” he said.
For the minister, the Portuguese economy “must adapt to adjusting and transitioning towards more qualified and better-paid jobs.”
“That is why we stated in the agreement with companies that there must be responsibilities for training, accommodation responsibilities, and not the externalization of social costs to then have cheaper labor. Work has to be more attractive and better paid, and that is how an economy evolves,” he considered.
