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Portugal mulls to reduce number of immigrants

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-08 15:19

LISBON -- The Portuguese government was analyzing whether to reduce of the number of immigrants from outside the European Union (EU) zone due to the current financial crisis, officials said on Thursday.

In 2008, Portugal allowed the entrance of 8,600 foreign workers. Portuguese Labour Minister Jose Antonio Vieira da Silva said there is a possibility for the government to reduce the number of foreign workers.

Vieira said the government could accept "to partially close the door to the new immigrants outside the EU."

"I do not want to advance anything, but we do not exclude to reach an agreement with the worker unions to reduce the number (of foreign workers) from the basis of last year," he said.

Before taking a decision, the government was waiting for the opinion of other partners related to the issue.

"It is reasonable to accept that due to the reduction of the economic activity, there is also a reduction on the migratory flows," Vieira said.

The government presented on Monday a report on relations between the work market and the migratory flows.

Portugal used to receive many immigrants coming from Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and Guinea Bissau.