Portugal Reaches Nearly 1.6 Million Foreign Residents: What Does AIMA's 2025 Report Reveal?

The number of foreign residents in Portugal continues to rise, but the pace of growth has slowed significantly. AIMA's latest Migration and Asylum Report reveals important changes in immigration trends, residence permit issuance, and the operation of Portugal's immigration services.

Portugal ended 2025 with 1,585,854 foreign residents, confirming immigration as one of the key components of the country's demographic, economic, and social landscape.

These figures are presented in the 2025 Migration and Asylum Report, published on September 22, 2026, by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA).

The report provides a comprehensive overview of immigration in Portugal, covering the foreign resident population, the granting and renewal of residence permits, labour immigration, family reunification, international protection, and AIMA's administrative activities.

Beyond revealing how many foreign nationals live in Portugal, the report highlights an important transformation: Portugal is entering a new phase of immigration, characterised by slower growth in its foreign population and the increasing consolidation of communities already established in the country.

Portugal's Foreign Resident Population Exceeds 1.58 Million in 2025

According to AIMA, Portugal had 1,585,854 foreign residents as of December 31, 2025, approximately 38,000 more than in the previous year.

This represents growth of around 2.7%, significantly lower than the rates recorded in previous years.

In 2023, the foreign resident population increased by 31.4%. In 2024, growth reached 18.3%.

The slowdown is one of the report's most significant findings.

According to AIMA's interpretation, this development reflects the stabilisation of new arrivals and the consolidation of a foreign community that already plays a structural role in Portuguese society and the economy.

This does not mean that Portugal has stopped receiving immigrants.

Rather, the figures demonstrate that the country is no longer experiencing the same pace of immigration growth observed in previous years.

Immigration is gradually becoming characterised not only by rapid increases in arrivals but also by long-term residence, integration, and the administrative regularisation of foreign nationals already living in Portugal.

Brazilians Account for Nearly One-Third of Foreign Residents in Portugal

The Brazilian community remains, by a considerable margin, the largest foreign community residing in Portugal.

At the end of 2025, Portugal had 493,622 Brazilian residents, representing approximately 31.1% of the country's total foreign population.

This means that almost one in every three foreign residents in Portugal is Brazilian.

The largest foreign communities include:

Brazil: 493,622 residents;
Angola: 99,050 residents;
India: 91,405 residents;
Ukraine: 84,889 residents;
Cape Verde: 71,005 residents.

The size of the Brazilian community highlights the historical, cultural, and economic importance of the relationship between Brazil and Portugal.

It also demonstrates the significance of Portuguese immigration policies for Brazilian nationals, particularly regarding residence permits, employment, family reunification, and nationality procedures.

Although specific legal mechanisms apply to nationals of countries belonging to the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), Brazilian nationality alone does not exempt individuals from complying with the legal requirements for entry, residence, or employment in Portugal.

For this reason, immigration eligibility must be assessed individually, taking into account the purpose of residence and each applicant's circumstances.

AIMA Issued More Than 500,000 Residence Permits in 2025

Another major finding concerns the volume of administrative procedures completed by AIMA.

Throughout 2025, 527,211 residence permits were issued, comprising:

337,880 new residence permit grants;
189,331 residence permit renewals.

The number of new residence permits granted was approximately 55% higher than in 2024.

At first glance, this increase might suggest a substantial rise in new arrivals.

However, it is essential to distinguish between two different developments: the arrival of new immigrants and the completion of administrative procedures involving individuals who were already living in Portugal.

A significant proportion of the residence permits issued in 2025 resulted from efforts to resolve applications that had remained pending for several years.

Therefore, the issuance of a residence permit in 2025 does not necessarily mean that its holder arrived in Portugal during that year.

This distinction is fundamental to interpreting Portugal's immigration statistics accurately.

The high number of permits granted reflects both the scale of AIMA's administrative activity and the need to resolve the backlog accumulated in previous years.

Employment Was the Basis for 95.7% of New Residence Permits

Among the residence permits granted in 2025, one figure deserves particular attention: 95.7% were linked to employment, according to the classification presented in the report.

This figure highlights the direct relationship between immigration and Portugal's labour market.

Foreign workers contribute to the operation of various sectors of the economy, supporting business activity and forming an important part of the country's workforce.

It also helps explain why legislative changes affecting labour immigration have such significant consequences.

For foreign nationals intending to work in Portugal, choosing the appropriate immigration pathway has become particularly important.

Depending on the circumstances, different legal options may be available, including residence visas for employed workers, self-employed professionals, highly qualified workers, and other categories established under Portuguese law.

Each procedure has its own requirements, which may apply both to the worker and, in certain cases, to the employer.

Having a job offer or employment contract, for example, does not necessarily mean that all the requirements for obtaining a visa or residence permit have been satisfied.

It is necessary to assess the applicable legal framework, the supporting documentation, and the specific requirements of the chosen procedure.

AIMA Conducted More Than 600,000 Appointments

The 2025 Migration and Asylum Report also highlights the scale of AIMA's operations.

During the year, 671,273 appointments were scheduled, resulting in 605,890 appointments actually attended.

These figures were distributed as follows:

AIMA Mission Structure

409,799 scheduled appointments;
386,837 appointments attended.

AIMA Service Centres

261,474 scheduled appointments;
219,053 appointments attended.

These figures demonstrate the substantial volume of procedures Portugal's immigration system had to manage throughout 2025.

They also provide context for the administrative difficulties experienced by many foreign nationals in recent years, particularly regarding appointments, residence permit grants, and renewals.

However, the high number of appointments attended does not necessarily mean that all related administrative procedures were fully completed.

In many cases, attending an appointment represents only one stage of the process. Further document verification, assessment of legal requirements, and an administrative decision may still be necessary.

Not All 1.58 Million Foreign Residents Hold Valid Residence Permits

One of the report's most important findings concerns the composition of Portugal's foreign resident population.

Although the overall figure stands at 1,585,854 people, 1,324,411 held residence permits considered valid under the criteria adopted by AIMA.

For this purpose, the report considered permits with an expiry date after July 1, 2025, taking into account the legally applicable period for renewal following expiry.

The remaining population includes individuals in different administrative situations, including procedures that were still being processed.

These include:

50,695 applications submitted through the Expression of Interest procedure (Manifestação de Interesse) awaiting completion;
42,521 expired CPLP residence permits, whose holders had already attended renewal appointments;
76,907 expired residence permits, with administrative fees paid for appointments;
24,476 family reunification applications for which appointments had already taken place but the procedures remained pending.

These figures require careful interpretation.

Being included in Portugal's foreign resident statistics does not necessarily mean that an individual holds a residence card whose printed expiry date has not passed.

Conversely, holding an expired residence permit does not, by itself, establish that the individual is residing unlawfully in Portugal.

A person's legal status depends on the applicable legislation, any renewal applications submitted, the rules governing the continuation of residence rights, and the specific circumstances of the case.

It is important to distinguish a person's statistical classification as a resident from their legal and administrative immigration status.

This distinction is particularly relevant for foreign nationals awaiting decisions, renewals, or the issuance of new residence documents.

Family Reunification Remains an Important Part of Immigration to Portugal

The report also provides important information on family reunification.

In 2025, 51,624 individuals held valid residence permits based on family reunification.

In addition, 24,476 applications had already reached the appointment stage but were still awaiting completion.

Family reunification is one of the principal legal mechanisms for preserving family unity among foreign nationals residing in Portugal.

Through this procedure, certain family members of residence permit holders may obtain the right to reside in Portugal, provided that the requirements established by law are met.

However, family reunification procedures are subject to specific conditions, which may vary according to the resident's legal status, the family relationship, and the applicable legal framework.

The necessary documentation, proof of the family relationship, and other requirements should be assessed before submitting an application.

The volume of cases reported by AIMA demonstrates that immigration to Portugal involves not only individuals relocating for professional reasons but also the formation and reunification of families.

Applications for International Protection Decreased in 2025

In the area of international protection, Portugal received 1,765 new applications in 2025.

This represents a 34.1% decrease compared with the previous year.

International protection involves specific legal procedures intended to assess situations in which foreign nationals seek protection under the applicable legislation.

These applications should not be confused with ordinary immigration procedures for employment, study, investment, or family reunification.

The recorded decrease is another component of the immigration picture presented by AIMA, although international protection statistics must be interpreted in light of the specific legal and humanitarian considerations involved.

What Does AIMA's Report Reveal About the Future of Immigration in Portugal?

The 2025 figures demonstrate that Portugal is undergoing an important transformation in its immigration landscape.

In previous years, the country experienced rapid growth in its foreign population, accompanied by a substantial increase in demand for residence-related administrative procedures.

This contributed to the accumulation of pending applications and the need to reorganise the services responsible for immigration matters.

In 2025, the situation began to show different characteristics.

Growth in the foreign resident population slowed, while the number of residence permit grants, renewals, and appointments remained high.

At the same time, foreign communities are becoming increasingly established within Portuguese society.

These developments indicate that immigration management now involves not only the arrival of new foreign nationals but also the regularisation, renewal, and maintenance of the legal status of individuals already residing in Portugal.

For those considering moving to Portugal, this reality makes immigration planning even more important.

Why Has Immigration Planning Become More Important?

In recent years, Portugal has introduced significant changes to its immigration rules and procedures.

The closure of the Expression of Interest procedure for new applications, successive legislative amendments, and the reorganisation of administrative services have changed the conditions for accessing certain residence permit categories.

In this context, deciding to move to Portugal should be accompanied by a prior assessment of the appropriate legal pathway.

It is necessary to determine whether the purpose of relocation involves employment, education, business activity, passive income, remote work, investment, or family reunification.

Each of these purposes may correspond to a different immigration procedure.

Portuguese legislation also establishes specific requirements concerning documentation, financial means, the purpose of residence, and the conditions for submitting an application.

Choosing an unsuitable immigration pathway may lead to delays, additional expenses, or difficulties in obtaining a residence permit.

For this reason, legal planning before relocation is an important step for anyone intending to establish residence in Portugal.

Conclusion: Portugal Remains a Country of Immigration, but the Context Has Changed

The presence of nearly 1.6 million foreign residents in Portugal confirms the importance of immigration to the country's demographic, economic, and social landscape.

Brazilians continue to represent the largest share of the foreign population, while employment remains a central factor in new residence permit grants.

At the same time, the 2025 Migration and Asylum Report demonstrates that Portugal's immigration landscape is undergoing a period of transformation.

Growth in the foreign population has become more moderate, but the volume of administrative procedures remains substantial, particularly regarding residence permit grants, renewals, and the resolution of pending applications.

For anyone planning to live in Portugal, the main conclusion is clear: beyond choosing the destination country, it is essential to understand the appropriate legal procedure for establishing and maintaining lawful residence.

Rafaela Barbosa Advocacia Internacional provides legal assistance with immigration and Portuguese nationality procedures, supporting foreign nationals and families who intend to establish residence in Portugal.

Our team conducts an individual assessment of each case, identifying the options available under Portuguese law and the requirements applicable to the intended procedure.

Are you planning to live, work, study, invest, or reunite with your family in Portugal? Contact our team to learn more about our immigration legal services.