Immigration
First phase of migration policy complete, integration and crackdown on networks next, says Leitão Amaro
Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro stated that the first phase of the government's migration policy transformation is complete, following the approval of the return law and EU migration pact decrees. The government will now prioritize a national integration plan, enforcement against illegal immigration, and clearing the remaining 5,000 pending expression-of-interest cases out of 445,000, with 98% of AIMA's 940,000 total notifications resolved. He noted an 85% deceleration in migratory flows, with about 50,000 more foreigners arriving between 2024 and 2025.
Why it mattersWhile no new rules take effect today, the government is shifting its focus to tighter enforcement against illegal migration and a forthcoming national integration plan, following the near-total clearance of backlogged residency processes.
