Moscow, July 17 (UNI) The Portuguese parliament has approved a bill to tighten immigration laws, supported by the ruling center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the far-right Chega party, Portuguese media reported.
In just 16 working days, the government was able to push through parliament a number of amendments to the immigration law, the Diario de Noticias newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The bill provides for the creation of a special unit in the police to monitor foreigners and their possible deportation, the report said. The country’s authorities have already sent out more than 10,000 notices to leave the country, the report read. adding that in total, over 30,000 notices will be sent.
Radical left parties and human rights organizations have spoken out against the initiative, calling it discriminatory and violating the principle of equality.
One of the communities most affected by the new rules will be the Brazilian community, the largest immigrant community in Portugal. Until now, Brazilian citizens benefited from a policy that allowed them to obtain residency after their arrival, without the need for a specific visa, but this measure has been repealed.
By the end of 2024, Portugal had approximately 1.55 million foreign residents (3,417,165 people), representing about 15 per cent of the total population and quadrupling the figure recorded in 2017, according to official data.
The document has now been sent to President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa for signature.
