PORTUGAL’S foreign population increased last year by seven per cent according to statistics from the Serviço de Estrangeiros (SEF). The Brazilians represent the biggest foreign community (77,000), followed by the Ukrainians (66,000). Alongside these are 19,276 citizens with working visas, study visas and temporary stays granted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Last year, Portuguese nationality was granted to 1,413 foreigners. A total of 514 people were expelled. Of this group, 352 were illegal immigrants and 162 were expelled for perpetrating crimes, mainly drug-related.
