"In 2020 there was, therefore, for the fifth consecutive year, an increase in the resident foreign population, with an increase of 12.2 percent compared to 2019, totalling 662,095 foreign citizens holding a residence permit” indicates the Report on Immigration, Borders and Asylum (RIFA).

According to SEF, Brazilians remain the main foreign community residing in the country, representing last year 27.8 percent of the total, the highest value since 2012.

“The United Kingdom increased one position compared to 2019, now representing the second most representative foreign nationality in Portugal”.

At the end of 2020, 183,993 Brazilians lived in Portugal, followed by citizens of the United Kingdom (46,238), Cape Verde (36,609), Romania (30,052), Ukraine (28,629), Italy (28,159), China (26,074), France (24,935), India (24,550) and Angola (24,449).

The SEF emphasizes that “the sustained growth of foreign citizens from European Union countries confirms the particular impact of the attractiveness factors already mentioned in previous years, such as the perception of Portugal as a safe country, as well as the tax advantages arising from the regime for the non-habitual resident”.

This security service also highlights the place of Italy, which “occupies the sixth position, confirming the growth that has been seen in recent years”.

The RIFA mentioned that in 2020 there was “a generalized increase” of citizens from South America, “powered, naturally, by Brazil”.

Immigrants mainly live in the coast, with 68 percent registered in the districts of Lisbon, Faro and Setúbal, totalling 450,074 resident citizens, while in 2019 there were 405,089.