Background information

The 8th report of the Migration Observatory (Oliveira, 2023) draws on the national system of migrant integration indicators from 32 national and 16 international sources that import statistical and administrative data related to immigrant integration, comprising 312 indicators covering 15 dimensions of integration: from demographics to education and qualifications (including learning the Portuguese language) as a fundamental factor for integration; as well as work, inclusion and social protection, including housing conditions, health, the justice system and racially and ethnically based discrimination; and also from the electoral register as an expression of the exercise of democratic citizenship, to access to nationality of the many migrants in Portugal, and to remittances which constitute a valuable contribution to the countries of origin.

This report contains information on the evaluation of policies towards highly skilled migrants, which are analysed in this case.

Reference: 'Immigrant integration indicators: Annual statistical report 2023' (Oliveira, 2023).

Content of measure

The 'Immigrant integration indicators: Annual statistical report 2023' report highlights the effects of the changes introduced (since 2015) in the area of residence visas for scientific research purposes for non-EU citizens admitted as higher education students at doctoral level or as researchers of research centres under an employment contract or scientific research grant, and in the area of residence visas for teaching in higher education or highly qualified activities. In addition, access to the labour market for subordinate or self-employed activity has been complemented for those who have been granted a residence permit for the purpose of studying in secondary or higher education (as long as they have not arrived under cooperation agreements). These legal revisions have led to an increase in the inflow of foreigners for reasons of study, research and highly qualified activities.

The increase in entries in recent years has been particularly associated with the rise in the granting of certain residence visas at consular posts, including for highly qualified academic or cultural activities, which grew from 387 in 2011 to 3,371 visas (77.8% men and 22.2% women) in 2022. Also, since the beginning of the current decade, there has been an increase in residence permits for teaching, highly qualified, and cultural activities: from 334 in 2011 to 4,237 permits (77,6% men and 22,4% women) in 2022 .

Foreign highly qualified workers have a basic monthly salary that is on average +59.3 times higher than that of Portuguese workers with similar qualifications (in 2021).

Use of measure

The use of this report in not known.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement as case not in social partner domain	No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

Social partners were not involved.

Views and reactions

Views of social partners on the report are not known.

Sources

• 22 December 2023: Indicadores de integração de imigrantes: relatório estatístico anual 202 (migrant-integration.ec.europa.eu)