A new initiative targeting emigrant pensioners has been announced, spearheaded by the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party (PS), José Luís Carneiro, alongside the Socialist parliamentary leader, Eurico Brilhante Dias. The project seeks to introduce fiscal parity similar to the Regressar Program, which pertains to the income of emigrants returning to Portugal.
The project aims to ensure identical tax treatment for emigrant pensioners, promoting fairness and supporting their return to Portugal after working abroad. It applies exclusively to the portion of pensions taxable in Portugal and fully respects conventions to prevent double taxation and EU law, according to the project’s explanatory memorandum.
With this initiative, PS aims to honor Portuguese communities and support population settlement, particularly in low-density areas, thus fostering social and territorial cohesion.
If approved in the Assembly of the Republic, a tax regime will be established to aid the return of emigrant pensioners by reducing the taxable base by 50% on pension income earned abroad and taxable in Portugal.
The government will then have 90 days to regulate, following its enactment, the conditions for proving and certifying the status of returned emigrants, as well as the procedures for implementing the new regime.
The project text further specifies that the amendments to the IRS Code, if approved by parliament, will apply to income earned starting January 1, 2026.
Along with José Luís Carneiro and Eurico Brilhante Dias, the project is signed by PS deputies João Torres, Catarina Louro, António Mendonça Mendes, Miguel Costa Matos, Carlos Pereira, Edite Estrela, Elza Pais, Eva Cruzeiro, Luís Dias, Nuno Fazenda, Porfírio Silva, and Rosa Isabel Cruz.
