Portugal has seen a substantial rise in the number of residence permits issued to Brazilians, according to a recent report from the country’s Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA).

AIMA reports that the number of permits granted to Brazilian citizens in 2023 has surged by 240% compared to the previous year, Schengen News reports.

In 2022, Portugal issued a total of 43,313 residence permits to Brazilians. However, in 2023, this number surged to 147,262, representing a remarkable increase. 

According to AIMA, this rise is largely attributed to the CPLP mobility agreement, which was signed in 2021 and implemented in 2022. The agency noted that out of the total residence permits granted to Brazilians last year, 108,232 were issued under the CPLP agreement.

In addition to the increase in permits for Brazilians, AIMA highlighted that nationals from other CPLP countries were also granted a significant number of residence permits, making up 45.3% of all new permits issued.

Foreign nationals require residence permits for extended stays in Portugal, which grant them the right to live in the country, regardless of their reason for staying. 

As noted by Investing, Brazil has consistently been the largest foreign community in Portugal for several years.

Official figures indicate that in 2023, Portugal was home to 1,044,606 foreign nationals, with 35.3% of them being from Brazil. The number of Brazilians living in Portugal rose from 239,744 in 2022 to 368,449 in 2023. 

However, it is believed that the actual number of Brazilian citizens residing in Portugal could be higher, as some may be living in the country without proper documentation, meaning only these documented figures are available.

Recently, the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that Portugal has also issued a significant number of work visas to Brazilians. According to data from the Ministry, Portugal granted a total of 7,200 work visas to Brazilian citizens in the first eight months of 2024.

The 7,200 work visas granted to Brazilians between January and August 2024 represent a 20% increase compared to the same period last year.