The Portuguese Parliament has recently passed amendments to the Nationality Law which include significant changes to the calculation of the 5-year residency requirement for applying for Portuguese nationality. Previously, the 5-year period would only commence from the date the residency was granted, leading to unfairness for many residents due to delays and backlog in processing residency applications.

The recent amendments include the waiting period for residency application in the 5-year residency requirement for nationality. This means that the waiting period for residency approval or card issuance will not be disregarded, and the date of submission of the residency application will be considered.

For example, an individual who applied for residency in March 2019 but had to wait for 18 months for approval, receiving their first residency card only in October 2021, can now apply for nationality in March 2024. An individual who applies for residency now can be assured that they can apply for nationality in 2029, irrespective of any potential delays in the processing of the residency application.

This is great news for anyone who has applied for or obtained a Portuguese residency, as it rectifies an unfair situation created due to delays in processing residency applications by the Authorities. The new law will be effective one month after its publication in the Official Gazette, following Presidential ratification.

Source: portugalimmigrationnews.com

Effective January 1st, 2024, Portugal increased its national minimum wage from 760 euros to 820 euros, marking a 7.8% increase. The official announcement was made through a decree-law published in the Diário da República. This law applies to the entire national territory.

The income agreement signed in Social Concertation predicted that the minimum wage would reach 810 euros in 2024, but the social partners decided to reinforce it, despite the challenges that could be expected. This understanding indicated that the guaranteed minimum monthly remuneration (RMMG) should reach at least 900 euros in 2026. However, this goal is at risk as the country will go to early elections in March, following António Costa’s resignation from office.

This revision of the national minimum wage represents a significant milestone for Portugal, reflecting the government’s commitment to improving the living standards of its citizens. However, it also presents challenges for employers who will bear the increased costs. In addition to the salary costs, they will also have to deliver social contributions every month to Social Security.

Source: theportugalnews.com, garrigues.com, portugalimmigrationnews.com, portugalvista.com

Ana Mendes Godinho, the Minister of Labour and Social Security, recently spoke at a parliamentary hearing on the draft State Budget for 2024. During her speech, she highlighted the significant contribution made by foreign workers in Portugal to the country’s social welfare system. In 2022, foreign workers paid €1.8 billion to Social Security, and by August 2023, they had already paid €1.7 billion.

The minister emphasized that these figures demonstrate how Portugal benefits from being an inclusive and welcoming country that attracts people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. She also challenged the notion that foreign workers are low-skilled, highlighting that over half of the new jobs created for them are in sectors such as technology, consulting, and technical expertise.

Ana Mendes Godinho affirmed that Portugal is a country for everyone who chooses to live there, and that everyone should have equal rights and opportunities to work and prosper.

The Agency for Integration, Migrations and Asylum (AIMA), the successor to Portugal’s Immigration and Border Service (SEF), is set to face the most significant test of its existence in 2024. The agency, which came into operation at the end of October 2023, has inherited a backlog of 350,000 pending cases.

The creation of AIMA was a result of merging part of the functions of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) and the High Commission for Migrations. This move fulfilled an old promise from the PS, which advocated for the end of SEF. SEF’s powers were transferred to six organizations, with police functions passed to the PSP, GNR, and Judiciary Police.

The end of the government and the scheduling of elections in March have put the commitments of the socialist executive at risk. Every day, hundreds of requests for regularization enter a system that still fails to provide a sufficient response. Portugal is one of the few European countries that allows an irregular immigrant worker to apply for a visa at the national authorities. These are the cases that are clogging up the system.

To try to resolve the situation, the outgoing government promised to invest in modernizing the IT system. In the first quarter of 2024, the executive said it would launch an operation in conjunction with municipalities and immigrant support offices, with AIMA resources in citizen stores, to meet pending requests. The list of promises includes new programs teaching Portuguese to immigrants, a new quality telephone call centre, and a new multidisciplinary centre to manage international protection processes.

As AIMA braces for a challenging 2024, it remains to be seen how effectively it can navigate these hurdles and fulfil its promises. The agency’s performance will be crucial in shaping Portugal’s immigration policy and its approach to managing migration and asylum.

Source:theportugalnews.com

During the festive season, Chiado in Lisbon will have restricted road traffic. From Friday to January 7, vehicles will only be allowed from 9:00 pm on Friday to 12:00 pm on Sunday. This measure is intended to reduce the impact of large crowds.

The Lisbon City Council assures that residents will still have access, and loading and unloading will be permitted between 06:00 and 10:00.

The restriction, which runs from December 22nd to January 7th, aims to enhance pedestrian safety and facilitate free movement by reducing road access during weekends.

Affected streets include Rua Garrett and Rua Nova do Almada, up to the intersection with Rua de São Nicolau. Traffic will be redirected to Rua do Crucifixo.

Rua Ivens will also see changes in traffic flow, particularly between the intersection with Rua Capelo and Rua Garrett. Traffic will be rerouted towards Rua Capelo and Rua Serpa Pinto.

Rua Serpa Pinto will have traffic restrictions between Rua Garrett and the intersection with Rua Capelo, with traffic being diverted downwards on Rua Serpa Pinto.

Calçada do Sacramento will also have restrictions between Rua Garrett and the intersection with Rua Almirante Pessanha, although exit from the car park will be allowed.

The Lisbon City Council also reminds that until January 7, 2024, two EMEL car parks in Ameixoeira and Campo Grande will be available for free. A free Carris service will connect these car parks to downtown, stopping at Marquês de Pombal, Avenida da Liberdade, and Rossio.

As the year 2024 approaches, Portugal is preparing to host a record number of tourists for the New Year, reflecting the remarkable recovery of the country’s tourism industry from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Portugal has been able to attract tourists from all over the world with its diverse and appealing attractions, such as its historic and cultural cities, its beautiful and sunny coastlines, and its rich and varied gastronomy. According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), the main markets for inbound tourism in Portugal are Spain, France, the UK, Germany, and the U.S., which together account for more than 80 percent of the total visitors.

One of the most sought-after destinations for the New Year’s Eve celebrations is Lisbon, the capital and largest city of Portugal. Lisbon offers a wide range of events and activities for the festive season, such as live concerts, spectacular fireworks, lively street parties, and delicious food and drinks. Some of the highlights of the New Year’s Eve program in Lisbon are:

• The São Silvestre Road Race, a traditional 10 km run that takes place on the 31st of December, starting and ending at Praça dos Restauradores.
• The New Year’s Eve Concert at Praça do Comércio (Terreiro do Paço), featuring popular Portuguese artists and band.
• The New Year’s Eve Fireworks at Praça do Comércio (Terreiro do Paço) and Belém, which light up the sky and the river with dazzling colors and shapes.
• The New Year’s Eve Street Party at Praça do Comércio (Terreiro do Paço), where thousands of people gather to dance, sing, and toast to the new year.
• The New Year’s Eve Gastronomic Experience at various restaurants, bars, and hotels in Lisbon, where visitors can enjoy the best of Portuguese cuisine and wine, as well as international dishes and drinks.

Lisbon is also home to many hotels that cater to different budgets and preferences, ranging from luxury to budget options. According to an exploratory data analysis of the hotel booking demand with Python, based on a dataset from Kaggle, some of the insights about the hotel market in Lisbon are:

• The city hotel has a higher occupancy rate than the resort hotel, indicating a higher demand for urban accommodation than for leisure accommodation.
• The average daily rate (ADR), which is the average revenue per occupied room, is higher in the summer months than in the winter months, reflecting the seasonal variation of the tourism demand.
• The most common booking type is transient, which means that the booking is not part of a group or contract, suggesting that most of the tourists are independent travellers rather than organized groups.
• The cancellation rate is higher for the city hotel than for the resort hotel, implying that the city hotel guests are more likely to change their plans than the resort hotel guests.
• The lead time, which is the number of days between the booking date and the arrival date, is positively correlated with the cancellation rate, meaning that the longer the lead time, the higher the probability of cancellation.

Therefore, travellers who want to secure a hotel room in Lisbon for the New Year’s Eve should book as early as possible and avoid cancelling their reservations, as the availability and prices of the hotels may vary depending on the demand and the season.

Portugal’s travel and tourism industry is on track to break records in 2024, and the New Year’s Eve celebrations are expected to be one of the highlights of the year. With its vibrant and diverse offerings, Portugal is a destination that appeals to travellers of all ages and interests, who can enjoy a memorable and festive experience in the country.

source: portugalist.com, traveltriangle.com, gotoportugal.eu, traveltriangle.com