The making of policies of immigration control in Portugal

• Autor(a) principal: Sabino, Catarina
• Data de Publicação: 2010
• Outros Autores: Abreu, Alexandre, Peixoto, João
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/2120
• topic: Immigration; Policies of Immigration; Foreign Population; Demographical Movement; Portugal

In this paper, the main elements about the making of policies of immigration control in Portugal will be described. As regards methodology, a large part of the paper is based on secondary sources. Evidence regarding immigration flows, main policy measures, public opinion and stakeholders positions, particularly employers associations and trade unions, was based on available bibliography, statistical datasets and documental analysis, including legislation and other information available at the internet. Due to limited availability of updated evidence and research, the making of immigration policies was complemented with direct enquiry. The positions of the main political parties, negotiations and coalitions were mainly addressed through semi-directive interviews to representatives of the main political parties and some other governmental actors, particularly the former High Commissioner for Immigration and Intercultural Dialogue. All the interviews were carried out between January and March 2008. To clarify some of the aspects of policy action and institutional factors behind policies also direct contacts were done with the Aliens and Borders Service (SEF), still in March 2008. The organisation of the paper is as follows. In Part I, immigration stocks and flows since the 1980s will be presented, as well as some data on the labour market incorporation of immigrants. Due to the wider availability of statistics based on citizenship, most elements refer to foreign citizens in Portugal3 . In order to simplify, “immigration” will mean, in most of the paper, foreign population in Portugal, except when mention to these different concepts is done. In Part II, policies of immigration control in Portugal will be presented, taking into account the chronology of measures, current admission policy and some elements on integration and citizenship policies. In Part III, public opinion, political parties and stakeholders will be analysed. Most of the elements will be devoted to the positions of political parties regarding immigration and the complex ways through which policies are designed. In Part IV, the role of institutional domestic and external factors will be highlighted, taking into account agreements and partnerships established between Portugal and some third-countries and the EU constraints regarding immigration policy. Finally, some conclusive remarks will be set.