The latest data reveals an estimated 1.6 million foreigners will reside in Portugal by the end of 2024, marking a significant demographic shift within the past seven years. The proportion of immigrants has increased from 4% to 15% of the total population, according to the minister, who emphasized these figures align with other public service statistics.
“This has been a very rapid change,” described Leitão Amaro, labeling it the “biggest demographic alteration witnessed in our lifetimes.” He accused the PS Government of “irresponsibility, leading to significant inhumanity” towards these populations due to the public services’ inability to keep pace with the soaring demand.
Leitão Amaro stressed the importance of national awareness and discussion regarding this demographic transformation, noting that the Socialist Party’s amendments to immigration laws “threw open the door” to Portugal.
Currently, social security in Portugal receives more in funds than it disburses in social benefits; however, the long-term impact on the country’s finances remains “uncertain,” the minister warned.
While the arrival of people from diverse cultures, languages, and religions has enriched the social fabric, the rapid immigration growth may sow unrest within communities.
In response, the government is committed to ending “uncontrolled immigration” and aims for a “regulated immigration with humanity.”
“We do not follow radicals with open-door policies,” nor “populists who advocate for sealed borders,” he stated, highlighting that the current priority for migration is toward those with employment contracts, those who come to work and under suitable conditions.
Earlier this week, hundreds of immigrants, mostly from the Indian subcontinent, gathered outside the headquarters of the Agency for Integration, Migrations, and Asylum (AIMA) to protest the lack of responses to their pending applications.
Leitão Amaro acknowledged that many immigrants “were not well-treated by the Portuguese State,” blaming the socialist government for “dismantling the immigration service,” resulting in nearly a million people awaiting responses between AIMA and the Civil Registry Office (IRN).
