The Immigration Barometer survey, sponsored by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation, explored perceptions of migrants and immigration held by the Portuguese public.

The barometer publication reveals that 68% of Portuguese people consider immigration policy in Portugal to be too permissive, 67.4% feel that migrants commit more crime than the rest of the public, and 68.9% believe that the presence of migrants affects wage levels, keeping them low. At the same time, 68% agree that migrants contribute much to the national economy, acknowledging the positive impact of the group in terms of strengthening the social security system and filling gaps in the labour market. As the barometer highlights, sectors such as construction, agriculture and services, considered by many to be essential to Portugal's economic growth, depend heavily on the contribution of migrants.

Despite this recognition of their economic contribution, fears around migrants persist: approximately 51% of respondents said they believe that immigration could threaten Portuguese culture (a figure that has almost doubled since 2010) and public security. These fears partly reflect a general overestimation of the number of migrants in the country, which many survey respondents (42%) estimated to be almost double what it actually is. Migrants in Portugal represent 9.8% of the total population, which is less than the proportion of migrants in 17 other countries in the European Union.

The barometer also examines interpersonal trust, indicating finding a clear link between social trust and more positive attitudes towards migrants. In municipalities where there are active inclusion policies, for example, such as community support and opportunities for interaction between residents and migrants, perceptions of migrants among locals are more favourable than in municipalities where such social mixing does not occur.

The survey was conducted between 13 July and 30 August 2024 and used online survey methods and telephone interviews. A total sample of 1 072 individuals - born with Portuguese citizenship and who are Portuguese-speaking, aged 18 or older, and live in mainland Portugal - answered the survey. The sample was representative in terms of sex, age, region of residence (NUTS II) and education level. The final barometer report is available in Portuguese only.

Key barometer findings

• 1 in 4 respondents believe that foreigners make up more than 30% of the Portuguese population – an excessive bias.
• The majority of respondents believe that immigrants are essential to the country's economy and that they should have such rights as voting, naturalisation and the ability to bring family members to Portugal.
• In many ways, responses show that immigration is seen more as a threat than an opportunity in Portugal.
• Public perceptions of migrants differ depending on their origin, with strong opposition to those arriving from the Indian subcontinent.
• Portugal's current immigration policy is seen as facilitating the entry of immigrants, and the majority of respondents believe it should be doing the opposite.
• There is correlation between unfavourable views on immigration and factors including right-wing beliefs, distrust of others or valuing meritocratic processes.
• On the other hand, immigration is seen positively by those who are more satisfied with democratic processes, value egalitarianism or consider that immigrants pay more into than they receive from the social security system.