Portugal Migration Agency AIMA Criticized Over Staffing Crisis
On the third anniversary of Portugal’s Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), the Migration Technicians Union (STM) has issued a stinging critique of the government’s management, warning that the “superhuman efforts” of its staff are being squandered by systemic neglect and a lack of transparency.
A Growing Crisis Amid Rising Revenues
Despite a surge in demand, the union argues that the agency’s workforce remains dangerously depleted. Over the past three years, AIMA’s staff increased by only 18%, while the foreign population in Portugal skyrocketed from one million to 1.6 million. The STM highlights a “revolving door” crisis: while AIMA hired 110 employees last year, 91 left the agency during the same period, many seeking better conditions in other government sectors.
The union rejects the idea that a lack of funding is the culprit. According to the STM, the agency’s Mission Structure generated 101 million euros in revenue against just 39 million euros in costs. Furthermore, the proposed 2027 State Budget earmarks 135 million euros for AIMA—a 38.6% increase.
“We want to know exactly how much of this reinforcement will go toward hiring, training, and improving facilities,” the union stated, threatening to request an independent audit of the agency’s budget execution if the government fails to provide clear accountability.
Precarious Conditions and Broken Systems
The union also drew attention to the plight of approximately 200 sociocultural mediators. These workers are currently hired through partner entities, performing essential, permanent tasks under what the union describes as “precarious conditions.”
Manuela Niza, president of the STM, emphasized that workers are frequently forced to cover operational gaps out of their own pockets. “AIMA workers have proven that it is possible to provide a response. What is missing is stable staff, dignified facilities, and means that work,” Niza said. “No one can continue to pay for what is the State’s responsibility to guarantee.”
Backlogs and Diplomatic Vacancies
While the agency managed to issue over 300,000 residence permits by mobilizing 1,610 people through external structures, other areas are failing. The union reports that by December 2025, only 10% of permit renewals had been processed, leaving more than 374,000 permits expired. This administrative bottleneck has forced thousands into the legal system, with roughly 85,000 cases currently pending in administrative courts.
The resource drain extends beyond Portugal’s borders. Since the dissolution of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), immigration liaison positions in key embassies—including Brazil, Angola, India, and China—have remained vacant. Currently, AIMA employs just one liaison officer to cover both Spain and Morocco.
Demands for Reform
As AIMA enters its fourth year, the STM is calling for a total overhaul of the current strategy. Their demands include:
- Reinstatement of immigration liaison officers in diplomatic missions.
- A stable, permanent workforce to replace the reliance on temporary external structures.
- Dignified working conditions and equipment for service centers in Lisbon and Porto, which are currently “bursting at the seams.”
- Immediate formalization of the status of sociocultural mediators.
“The best birthday present for AIMA,” the union concluded, “would be providing the proper conditions for the people who actually make it function.”
Image: Pexels – Efe Ersoy
