Enrollments in PLA courses – which are certified upon completion with a diploma that serves as proof for nationality applications – increased from 22,014 in 2020/2021 to 56,397 in 2025 in Portugal.

According to data released by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), based on indicators from the National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education, the number of PLA courses held during this period increased from 1,143 to 2,887.

Free courses

The courses are offered free of charge by public schools, the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training's network of centres, the network of Qualifica Centres, and associations. However, private companies also establish agreements with official entities, and demand has intensified beyond the largest urban centres, where waiting lists tend to be several months long and, in some cases, more than a year.

Increased enrollment

“Although the course has existed for about 20 years, there has recently been greater enrollment, which has led to the need to organise three classes of different learning levels,” indicated the Vila Nova de Poiares City Council, in the Coimbra district, one of the municipalities where demand “has increased in recent years.”

In a written response sent to Lusa, the municipality explained that the free courses are “sought by people of various nationalities, reflecting the growing diversity of the resident population in the municipality,” and that “there is almost no waiting time.”

A schedule similar to the school calendar is followed, with one two-hour class per week, and the number of places is "adjusted to the existing capacity."

"These courses also play an important role as a space for proximity, where students can clarify doubts and share difficulties, being referred to the competent services whenever necessary," he added.

The initiative has "absolutely strategic importance" for the municipality, as it fosters "social and cultural integration" and thus constitutes an "investment in the present and future" of the territory.

"It contributes decisively to the inclusion of foreign citizens, promoting equal opportunities and facilitating access to employment and public services," the city hall pointed out, considering that, at the same time, "it helps to build a more inclusive, more informed and more prepared society to welcome diversity."

Course registration

The PLA courses are intended for citizens over 16 years of age whose mother tongue is not Portuguese, including immigrants who do not speak Portuguese. They certify levels A1-A2 (Elementary User) and B1-B2 (Independent User) in Portuguese.

Immigrants who obtain certification at level A2 or higher, which proves knowledge of Portuguese for the purposes of applying for permanent residence authorisation, long-term resident status, and Portuguese nationality, are exempt from taking the Portuguese language test, known as the "nationality test".