Why Are 15% of AIMA Appointments Left Unfilled? Shocking Insights Revealed!

AIMA's Daily Services Impacted by Absences

Around 15% of the 6,000 daily services provided by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) go unfilled due to a lack of applicants. This situation is severely limiting the system's ability to respond effectively.

Insights from the Debate

In a recent debate on “New migrations and talent attraction,” Pedro Portugal Gaspar, the director of AIMA, pointed out that the agency's efforts have increased daily services from 1,000 to 6,000. However, the absenteeism rate among applicants is alarmingly high, at 15 to 16%. Many applicants have either changed their residence or are no longer in Portugal, leading to this significant dropout rate.

Administrative Delays and Their Consequences

The lack of timely responses from administrative services has caused many applicants to abandon their applications for residence permits. Furthermore, there are delays in the collection of documents that have already been issued. Gaspar mentioned, “We have a very large set of authorisations that are granted and that are not raised by the applicants.”

Need for Better Coordination

Gaspar emphasized the necessity of better aligning demand and supply of immigrant services with the economic sectors to attract talent that meets the needs of companies, not just those with advanced degrees.

Criticism of Bureaucracy

José Theotónio, CEO of the Pestana Group, criticized the excessive bureaucracy faced by companies employing immigrants, claiming it discourages efficient processing of immigration matters. He suggested that there should be a certification system for companies that effectively work with immigrants, allowing for a fast track in administrative processes.

He warned that the accumulation of pending situations has made it challenging to address immigration issues in Portugal, leading to exploitation of vulnerable individuals.