Portugal: Forthcoming Immigration Bill Relaxes Regulations

The Portuguese government drafted a legislative proposal seeking to streamline entry to Portugal. It includes permitting visa issuance to nationals of Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, and Timor-Leste (Portuguese speaking countries) after completion of a simple background check without requiring a lengthier immigration assessment; creating a 6-month jobseeker visa; permitting temporary stay or residence visa issuance for the purpose of remote work; removing labor market testing for Residence Visa for Local Hire applicants; expanding the scope of students permitted to perform work activities to secondary school and vocational students and interns, among others; granting provisional tax, social security, and national health service identification numbers to residence visa applicants to expedite their local registration; and expanding the duration of certain permits, including increasing temporary residence permits and EU Blue cards to two years, up from one year, which would be renewable in three-year increments, up from two-year increments. The law is expected to be approved when Parliament returns to session in September.