The Portuguese government launched a new programme to support migrants enrolled in the national Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP). It targets those who are unemployed or looking for their first job, or who want to change their profession and/or access vocational training. The programme, Programa Integrar, offers training, skills recognition support and job seeking assistance.

The government noted that it recognises the "fundamental" need to "welcome and integrate the immigrant population, considering the ageing of the population and the lack of workers in many professional areas and strategic sectors of the economy".

The aim of Programa Integrar is to promote the hosting and integration of migrant workers and unemployed migrants, mitigating cultural limitations in the active demand for employment and developing social and professional skills facilitating entry into the labour market, namely through active employment measures.

IEFP will make an initial 'diagnosis' of a participant's profile, needs and expectations via an individual in-person interview, which will help to define an individualised employment plan, training plan and Portuguese language learning needs, among other measures. It will also identify school and employment qualifications possessed by the participant, in order to refer them where possible to the appropriate equivalence or recognition process.

The programme will also develop training activities with migrants to "reinforce knowledge of rights and duties to public employment services, especially when receiving unemployment benefits". IEFP will present its operational plan for the programme later this month.