AIMA's Delays Could Hurt Portuguese Economy, Warns Economist
Economist José Roberto Afonso has warned that delays in regularizing immigrants and measures taken by other countries to attract them could reduce the rate of social security tax collection in 2026. This could have a significant impact on the Portuguese economy, as immigrants contribute significantly to the country's social security system.
According to Afonso, the particular case of Brazilian immigrants is a concern. Their contributions to Social Security could decline in 2026 due to delays by the AIMA and policies in countries like Spain, Italy, and Germany, which have taken measures to attract immigrants. These factors could trigger a slowdown in the collection of taxes paid by immigrants in Portugal, as reported by The Portugal News.
In 2025, immigrants contributed €4.1 billion to Social Security, according to data from the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity, and Social Security (MTSSS). This highlights the importance of timely immigration processes and the need for countries to attract and retain immigrants to maintain a healthy social security system.
The article also mentions Bruno G. Santos, the Deputy Editor at The Portugal News, who is interested in national politics and has a degree in Journalism and Communication. Santos writes about various topics, including Portuguese culture, society, and current affairs, and his press card number is 8463.
The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of addressing immigration delays to ensure the Portuguese economy's stability and the sustainability of the social security system.
