“Naturally, we need people, but we must balance and above all ensure that those [immigrants] who come—because 99.9% of them, if not more, come to work and improve their lives—have the conditions to help us make a better country,” stated the Minister of State and Finance at the press conference on the State Budget proposal for 2026 (OE2026), which was delivered today at the Assembly of the Republic.
The document allocates 91 million euros to the program “Regulated and Humanistic Immigration” of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, establishing three action points: immigration regulation, talent attraction, and humanistic welcoming and integration.
“We have had years of absolute lack of control in immigration, allowing hundreds of thousands to enter without knowing how, why, or who,” argued the Finance Minister, considering the recent approval of the new foreigners’ law in parliament “is a fundamental step.”
The minister highlighted the country’s need for skilled labor, “which does not necessarily mean a bachelor’s degree or higher,” citing examples like “a good electrician, a good mechanic, or a good carpenter,” who have essential qualifications for areas where the country lacks resources.
The Finance Minister emphasized that the job market “continues to respond very positively,” with employment growing by almost 3% in the first half of this year and wages rising by nearly 7% by July, year-on-year.
Joaquim Miranda Sarmento presented today the State Budget proposal for the next year in the Main Hall of the Ministry of Finance in Lisbon, a day before the legally defined deadline.
The second budget prepared by the Finance team led by Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, whose proposal has already been approved in the Council of Ministers, will be discussed in general at the end of the month, with the final global vote scheduled for November 27.
