Portugal’s Policy on mmigrant Integration: A Success Story?

Portugal integration of immigrant’s policy may be described as a case of success. Although currently facing difficult challenges – when confronted with the most recent framework revealed by the EU – the forecast is encouraging. Having in mind that only very recently it became an immigration country, Portugal quickly understood the value of the immigrant. The country’s achievement mainly derives form the firm political commitment on developing policy measures matters. As we could see when we compared the country results on MIPEX III with other Southern Europe countries whose late history is similar, Portugal leads in all indicators. Despite some progresses previously achieved, the year 2002 is the landmark of the Portuguese integration of immigrant’s policy. With a theoretical change towards a more inclusive and streamlined concept of integration, Portugal rasped the dissonant aspects of its integration policy and opened the course to develop an increasing and holistic approach between all stakeholders. Moreover, by launching the first Action Plan in 2007, not only the theoretical but also the practical guidelines were established, so that the aspired intercultural approach that came out from this modifications could be materialized by practical requirements consistent with the reality of those immigrating to Portugal. Notwithstanding, important issues continue to require improvement and further attention. For instance, qualifications recognition and competences certification are still important flaws. This fact is correlated with what is described as brain-waste because of the immigrants’ difficulties to enter on the specific labor sectors for which they are qualified to work. 
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