Action Plan: Government stops entry of immigrants without work visas and seeks inspectors from the former SEF

The Action Plan for Migration, presented this Monday, puts an end, “with immediate effect”, to expressions of interest, currently the main form of legalization of immigrants in Portugal. The extinction of this exceptional regime, “used as an ‘open door’ and source of a large part of the pending issues”, explains the Government in the document, “allows for the permanent resolution of irregular entries”. From now on, foreign citizens who want to work in the country will have to apply for a visa at Portuguese consulates for that purpose, prior to the decision to emigrate. regularization process after entry into national territory.