Portugal immigration statistics for common reader questions
- How many immigrants live in Portugal?
AIMA reported 1,585,854 foreign citizens resident in Portugal at 31 December 2025, up 2.7% from 1,543,697 a year earlier. This is the official resident-foreigner count, not a count of every foreign-born person in Portugal.
- What percentage of Portugal's population is foreign residents?
About 13.9%. AIMA's 1,585,854 foreign residents at the end of 2025 equal 13.9% of Eurostat's 11,424,031 residents on 1 January 2026 (calculated by Movingto). Naturalised Portuguese citizens are not included.
- Is immigration to Portugal increasing?
The foreign-resident population is still growing: 1,585,854 at the end of 2025, up 2.7% from 1,543,697 a year earlier (AIMA). But net migration fell to +70,862 in 2025 from +216,629 in 2024 (Eurostat), and AIMA says the record 337,880 permits in 2025 reflect earlier migration flows, not only new arrivals.
- Which nationalities are most common in Portugal?
Brazil is the largest foreign nationality in Portugal with 493,622 residents, followed by Angola, India, Ukraine, Cape Verde, Nepal, Bangladesh, Guinea-Bissau, the United Kingdom and Italy in AIMA's 2025 report.
Migration overview
Portugal's resident population was 11,424,031 on 1 January 2026, up 36,809 during 2025. Deaths exceeded births by 34,053, and net migration plus statistical adjustment added 70,862 people, down from 216,629 in 2024 (Eurostat, checked 24 October 2026).
The foreign-resident stock reported by AIMA was 1,585,854 at 31 December 2025, up 2.7% from 1,543,697 a year earlier. Read that as a resident-foreigner count, not as a full foreign-born population count.
| Indicator | Figure | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Total resident population | 11,424,031 | Eurostat population on 1 January 2026 |
| Foreign residents | 1,585,854 | AIMA foreign-citizen residents at 31 December 2025, up 2.7% from 1,543,697 |
| Foreign-resident share | 13.9% | Calculated from AIMA's stock and Eurostat's 1 January 2026 population |
| Population change | +36,809 | Eurostat change during 2025, from 11,387,222 to 11,424,031 (+0.3%) |
| Natural balance | -34,053 | Births minus deaths in 2025 (-33,754 in 2024) |
| Net migration | +70,862 | Eurostat 2025 net migration plus statistical adjustment (+216,629 in 2024) |
| Residence permits granted | 337,880 | AIMA new permits in 2025 (218,332 in 2024); renewals are counted separately |
What changed in Portugal migration in 2025?
Portugal's foreign-resident population grew again in 2025, but more slowly, and net migration fell sharply. Four forces explain the 2025 numbers: backlog clearance, work-linked permits, Lusophone migration channels, and the population's dependence on positive net migration.
Portugal's immigration data should be read as resident stock plus administrative catch-up. A record 337,880 permits in 2025 does not mean 337,880 people arrived that year.
AIMA granted 337,880 new residence permits in 2025, up 55%, while Eurostat's net migration fell to +70,862 from +216,629. AIMA says the permit total reflects earlier migration flows and its work clearing pending files, not only new arrivals.
Professional activity accounted for 71.1% of the permits granted in 2025, and 482,818 foreign residents held a professional-activity permit at the end of the year.
Brazil remains the largest community with 493,622 residents. Angola became the second-largest foreign nationality in 2025, ahead of India and Ukraine. Asian residents fell 4.1%, even though permits granted to Asian citizens doubled.
Deaths exceeded births by 34,053 in 2025. Net migration of +70,862 is why the population still grew, by 36,809 people.
Population demographics
The Americas are the largest world-region origin group, mostly because of Brazil. European, African, and Asian residents each account for about one fifth to one quarter of Portugal's foreign-resident base. Asian residents fell 4.1% in 2025.
| Origin region | Share | Main interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Americas | 36.1% | 572,397 residents; Brazil is by far the largest single nationality |
| Europe | 23.6% | 374,013 residents; 202,375 EU citizens plus UK, Ukrainian and other European residents |
| Africa | 21.4% | 338,816 residents; Angola, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau are core communities |
| Asia | 18.9% | 299,131 residents, down 4.1% on 2024; India, Nepal and Bangladesh are the largest groups |
| Oceania | 0.1% | 1,482 residents |
| Nationality | Residents | Share of foreign residents |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 493,622 | 31.1% |
| Angola | 99,050 | 6.2% |
| India | 91,405 | 5.8% |
| Ukraine | 84,889 | 5.4% |
| Cape Verde | 71,005 | 4.5% |
| Nepal | 56,304 | 3.6% |
| Bangladesh | 55,579 | 3.5% |
| Guinea-Bissau | 51,935 | 3.3% |
| United Kingdom | 47,726 | 3.0% |
| Italy | 42,418 | 2.7% |
Residence permits
AIMA granted 337,880 new residence permits in 2025, up 55% from 218,332 in 2024, and renewed 189,331. Professional activity accounted for 71.1% of the new permits. The table below shows the main permit types held in the year-end resident-foreigner stock.
| Permit type | Residents | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Professional activity | 482,818 | Largest group: employed, self-employed and highly qualified workers |
| EU citizens and family | 307,005 | EU citizens and their family members |
| General regime, temporary | 190,526 | Temporary residence permits under the general regime |
| CPLP agreement | 139,572 | Permits under the Portuguese-speaking countries (CPLP) mobility agreement |
| Study | 69,113 | Residents holding a study permit |
| Temporary protection | 66,740 | Beneficiaries of temporary protection, counted as residents |
| Family reunification | 51,624 | Family members joining a resident |
Integration and naturalisation
Immigration is also visible in births, nationality acquisition, and the labour market. Eurostat's 2025 labour indicators show a high foreign-born employment rate, but non-EU citizens still had a higher unemployment rate than Portuguese nationals.
| Indicator | Figure | Source context |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign-born mothers | 33.0% | Share of 2024 live births to foreign-born mothers (27,951 of 84,642) |
| Foreign-citizenship mothers | 26.2% | Share of 2024 live births to mothers with foreign citizenship (22,144 of 84,642) |
| New Portuguese citizens | 20,624 | Eurostat acquisitions of Portuguese citizenship in 2024 |
| Foreign-born employment rate | 76.8% | Eurostat 2025 employment rate for foreign-born people aged 15-64 |
| Foreign-born overqualification | 31.2% | Eurostat 2025 overqualification rate for foreign-born people aged 15-64 |
| Non-EU unemployment | 10.6% | Eurostat 2025 non-EU citizen unemployment rate, versus 5.7% for nationals |
Policy developments
The statistical picture changed while Portugal was changing its migration rules. The 2024 and 2025 numbers should be read together with the end of the expression-of-interest route and AIMA's backlog clearance work.
Expression of interest route closed
Portugal's migration action plan ended the open expression-of-interest route and shifted policy toward more regulated, job-linked admission.
Backlog clearance lifts permit numbers
AIMA says 2025's record number of permits reflects earlier migration flows, not only arrivals in that year, as it finished files opened under the earlier recovery structure.
Golden Visa real-estate route ended
Portugal removed real estate from the Golden Visa investment menu. The programme continues through funds and other qualifying options.
Portugal immigration statistics FAQs
How many immigrants are in Portugal?
Portugal had 1,585,854 registered foreign citizens resident at 31 December 2025, according to AIMA's Migration and Asylum Report 2025. This is a resident-foreigner count, not the full foreign-born population.
What is Portugal's immigration rate?
Foreign citizens made up about 13.9% of Portugal's resident population at the start of 2026 (AIMA and Eurostat, calculated by Movingto). Net migration plus adjustment was +70,862 in 2025, a rate of 6.2 per 1,000 residents, down from 19.2 in 2024 (Eurostat).
What are the biggest immigrant nationalities in Portugal?
The largest foreign nationality in Portugal is Brazil with 493,622 residents, 31.1% of foreign residents. The next largest groups in AIMA's 2025 report are Angola, India, Ukraine, Cape Verde, Nepal, Bangladesh, Guinea-Bissau, the United Kingdom and Italy.
How many Brazilians live in Portugal?
AIMA reported 493,622 Brazilian citizens resident in Portugal at 31 December 2025, 31.1% of the foreign-resident population. Brazil has been the largest foreign nationality for six years in a row.
How many Indians live in Portugal?
AIMA reported 91,405 Indian citizens resident in Portugal at 31 December 2025, down from 98,616 a year earlier. India was the third-largest foreign nationality in 2025, after Brazil and Angola.
How many British citizens live in Portugal?
AIMA reported 47,726 United Kingdom citizens resident in Portugal at 31 December 2025. The United Kingdom ranked ninth among foreign nationalities in the 2025 report.
Does AIMA's foreign-resident total count foreign-born Portuguese citizens?
No. AIMA's headline total counts foreign citizens resident in Portugal, including people with pending renewals and temporary-protection beneficiaries. It does not count naturalised Portuguese citizens, descendants of immigrants who already hold Portuguese citizenship, ethnicity, or every foreign-born resident.
How many Golden Visas are in Portugal's immigration figures?
Very few. AIMA granted 2,685 investment residence permits (Golden Visas) to main investors in 2025, 0.8% of the 337,880 residence permits it granted that year (calculated by Movingto).
What is the latest official year for Portugal immigration statistics?
2025. AIMA published its Migration and Asylum Report 2025 in September 2026, and Eurostat's demographic balance for 2025 was updated on 30 September 2026. AIMA's report for 2026 is expected in 2027.
Sources
This page uses official migration, population, and labour-market sources. Table captions link the source family beside the data they support; the source list below keeps the exact report, API, and report pages together.