The number of Brazilians living in Portugal increased by 43% in one year, from 105,423 in 2018 to 150,854 in 2019. Brazilians now represent 1 in 4 immigrants in Portuguese territory.
The information was released on Thursday (16) by SEF (Foreigners and Borders Service) to the Portuguese newspaper Público.
The result represents the third consecutive increase of the Brazilian community in Portugal, after a period of decline between 2011 and 2016.
Although the numbers are expressive, they are still smaller than the actual number of Brazilians living in Portuguese lands.
Brazilians with dual citizenship from Portugal or another EU country and undocumented migrants do not enter official statistics.
Last year, the Portuguese authorities issued a total of 48,627 new residence permits for Brazilians. In 2018, there were 28,210 of these documents. Thus, Brazilians accounted for more than one-third of all new permits granted to live in Portugal.
With an aging population and one of the lowest birth rates in Europe, Portugal has since 2017 taken some steps to facilitate the regularization of immigrants.
Not surprisingly, 2019 also represents a record of the total number of foreigners living in the country: about 580,000 people. In 2018, there were 480,000 foreigners.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon