Portugal News

London July 04, 2026 — The UK government has announced plans that could require some adults who received state-funded asylum accommodation and basic living support to repay around £10,000 before becoming eligible to apply for permanent settlement in the UK.

Under the proposed scheme, only people who can afford to pay would be asked to contribute. Children would be exempt, and the proposed charge would not apply retrospectively to people who received support before the new rules take effect.

Lisbon, July 03, 2026 — Portugal’s Parliament on Friday, 3 July, rejected the confirmation of a decree that would have introduced the loss of Portuguese nationality as an additional criminal penalty for certain serious offences.

The decree had previously been vetoed by former President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and had received two findings of unconstitutionality from the Constitutional Court.

By the end of 2025, there were 45,000 more foreigners contributing to Social Security compared to the end of the previous year

Lisbon, July 03, 2026 — The average contribution per foreign worker to Social Security rose 34% between April 2024 and April 2026, the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security revealed this Friday.

Based on the latest annual data, contributions from foreign workers to Social Security increased by 18% between 2024 and 2025.

Lisbon July 02, 2026: — A declaration of a state of alert includes, for example, a ban on burning and on work in forest areas using any type of machinery.

The Minister of Internal Administration, Luís Neves, announced this Thursday, July 2nd, that the Government will proceed "with the application, starting at midnight, of the declaration of a state of alert," due to the persistence of high temperatures, with thermometers exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in some regions.

Lisbon 02 July, 2026 : Immigration plays a significant role in strengthening the economies of developed countries by increasing productivity, encouraging investment, and supporting long-term economic growth, according to a new study presented at the European Central Bank (ECB) Forum in Sintra, Portugal.

Lisbon June 26, 2026 — Parliament approved, in general and in a final overall vote, the bill authorizing the Government to create the Single Social Benefit (PSU), following an agreement between PSD/CDS-PP and PS. The benefit unifies non-contributory subsidies, such as the social insertion income or various pensions.

The Single Social Benefit (PSU) proposed by the Government was approved this Thursday in Parliament, with abstentions from the Socialist Party (PS) and the Liberal Initiative (IL).

The United Nations on Saturday deeply regretted the European Union's (EU) new legislation on the "return" of rejected migrants, stressing that European countries cannot transfer their obligations to third countries

"EU countries cannot simply pass their human rights obligations on to third countries," said the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, in a statement.

Lisbon, 19 June 2026 — Portugal’s Parliament has rejected the government’s proposed labour-law reform after Chega joined opposition parties in voting against it.

The proposal, presented by the centre-right PSD/CDS-PP government, aimed to change more than 100 articles of the Labour Code. The government said the reforms were needed to improve productivity, strengthen competitiveness and create better job opportunities.

BERN, Switzerland, June 14, 2026 — The radical right's proposal to limit Switzerland's population, with the clear aim of restricting immigration, was rejected in the country following the elections held this Sunday.

Swiss voters rejected a far-right initiative to limit the population to 10 million by 2050 in a referendum on Sunday, with national projections indicating a victory for the "no" vote, according to state broadcaster SRF.

Lisbon June 12, 2026 — Portugal’s Parliament has rejected Projeto de Lei 293/XVII/1, a proposal authored by the Joint Action Group against Racism and Xenophobia (GAC) to strengthen the Penal Code against racism, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination.

The proposal aimed to make racist and discriminatory conduct a more serious criminal offence, including cases linked to ethnic or racial origin, nationality, religion, colour, language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.