South Asian Immigrants Face Social Security Gaps in Portugal
A new study by Portugal’s Migration Observatory highlights a growing divide in the country’s social safety net, revealing that a lack of international agreements is leaving South Asian immigrants at a severe disadvantage compared to other foreign nationals.
The Portability Gap
While workers from countries such as India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan contribute to the Portuguese social security system, the study warns that the absence of bilateral coordination mechanisms limits their “portability of rights.” This means that if these workers choose to return home, move to a third country, or engage in circular migration, they risk losing the benefits they earned while working in Portugal.
The document, titled “Mapping Social Protection Beyond Borders: Bilateral Social Security Agreements in Portugal,” notes that current agreements favored nations with long-standing historical ties to Portugal, such as Brazil and Cape Verde. For these migrants, contribution periods in both countries can be totaled, allowing for a seamless transition into retirement or disability benefits.
“Hierarchies of Protection”
The authors argue that these bilateral agreements are more than just administrative paperwork; they are political tools that create “hierarchies of protection” based on national origin. For the newest waves of migrants, these gaps create significant life-cycle risks.
“The choice of countries reflects political options and institutional asymmetries,” the authors state. This results in a system where social citizenship is fragmented, leaving South Asian communities—which have seen explosive growth in Portugal—facing “significant discontinuity” in their protection compared to their Brazilian or Cape Verdean counterparts.
A Financial Windfall for the State
The study highlights a stark irony: foreign workers are currently a major pillar of Portugal’s fiscal health. Between 2015 and 2025, the number of foreign contributors and the total value of their payments surged, resulting in a record-breaking positive net balance for the social security system in 2025.
Despite this massive financial contribution, the authors argue that the the European Union acts as an “advanced social protection club” that remains “externally restricted” to third-country nationals. This inequality of treatment, they warn, fuels “perceptions of injustice and institutional frustrations.”
A Call for Strategic Reform
The foreign population now accounts for 14 percent of Portugal’s total population. Brazilian nationals remain the largest group (574,195 people), followed by citizens from Angola, India, Cape Verde, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
The Observatory concludes that social protection for migrants should not be viewed as a peripheral cost but as a “central dimension of social cohesion.” To maintain institutional trust and ensure “contributory justice,” the authors urge the Portuguese government to expand its bilateral agreements to reflect the modern reality of international mobility. They argue that a selective strategy only serves to reproduce inequality and undermines a social state that is increasingly dependent on foreign labor.
Image: Pexels – Kampus Production
