Citizens who had an employment contract or green receipts before June 3, when the government ended this scheme, and had not yet begun, will be included. The bill was introduced by the Liberal Initiative.
Since the end of the “expressions of interest” (MI) process on June 3, several cases have emerged, particularly from immigrants who were caught off guard by the change. Many people who were already working in Portugal with a contract but hadn’t had time to apply for the MI are now in a difficult situation. When the MI program ended, the Government assured that those who had already started the process would have their cases reviewed.
However, due to the immediate effects of the decision, individuals who were working in Portugal but hadn’t completed the application were left unable to regularize their status through this route. Now, a change in the law will address this issue. A transitional regime, proposed by the Liberal Initiative (IL) and approved by Parliament, came into force today, with Chega being the only party to vote against it.
The new law was officially published in the Diário da República yesterday, which means it is now legally in effect. In practice, however, the Government must implement the changes. The Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA) will need to update its procedures in line with the new legislation. With the portal for submitting MI already closed, it is unclear whether applications will be accepted online. It’s also not yet known how many people are affected by this change.
The law specifically applies to those who were working in Portugal before June 3. Anyone who arrived after that date will not be eligible for a residence permit under this mechanism. An official source from IL has confirmed that there is no minimum contribution period required for eligibility under this transitional regime. “There is no minimum period. People didn’t know the law was going to change,” the source explained.
The party’s rationale for proposing this change is based on the principle of trust. They argue that it is essential to protect the rights of those who had already regularized their situation with Social Security, ensuring their legitimate expectations are not frustrated. AIMA, in a statement sent to the parliamentary committee that discussed the bill, emphasized the need to determine how affected citizens can submit their requests, prevent document fraud, and establish a deadline for exercising this right.
The Government has yet to comment on how the law will be implemented, but Minister António Leitão Amaro, responsible for migration issues, is expected to discuss the matter in Parliament today, during the detailed State Budget debate.
