Did Portugal Order 3,000 Nepalis to Leave?
Social media has been buzzing with claims that Portugal issued a directive ordering 3,279 Nepali immigrants to leave the country within 20 days by mid-June 2025.
While Portugal is indeed tightening its immigration policies and preparing to deport migrants, the specific figure targeting Nepalis appears to be misleading.
What Portugal Actually Announced
Portugal’s government has announced plans to forcibly expel approximately 18,000 migrants who are waiting for documents, according to Portugal Resident.
The policy, introduced by the current AD government ahead of elections, will begin with 4,574 people receiving instructions to leave within 20 days in the first phase.
Presidency Minister António Leitão Amaro confirmed the policy, stating
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“Those who have come in violation of the law will be given a 20-day warning to leave voluntarily. Failure to comply will result in expulsion proceedings.”
However, there is no official breakdown of how many of these migrants are Nepali nationals.
The Misinformation Problem
The claim about 3,279 Nepalis specifically being targeted comes from social media posts and Nepali media outlets like Drishti News, not from official Portuguese government sources yet they cited the minister.
While Minister Leitão Amaro’s pre-election statement hinted at deportations, it lacked details about targeting Nepalis specifically.
The figure of 3,279 Nepalis appears to have originated from social media posts and TikTok videos rather than direct government releases, creating confusion about the actual scope of deportations affecting the Nepali community.
Portugal’s Nepali Population
According to Portuguese government figures from 2023, around 15,000 Nepalis are legally residing in Portugal. This number has grown in recent years due to Portugal’s previously open migration policy.
Nepalis primarily work in agriculture, hospitality, and construction in cities like Lisbon, Porto, and Setúbal.
Portugal’s Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIAMA) reported over 400,000 pending migration applications in 2023, which may include Nepalis, but no nationality breakdown has been made public.
Political Context Behind the Crackdown
Portugal has experienced a dramatic immigration surge, with legal residents jumping from fewer than 500,000 in 2018 to over 1.5 million by early 2025. This rapid increase has sparked public debate and political tensions.
The center-right Democratic Alliance government, led by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, has adopted tougher immigration policies partly in response to the rise of the far-right Chega party. Led by André Ventura, Chega secured 60 parliamentary seats in the May 18, 2025 election, becoming the main opposition by campaigning on stricter immigration controls.
Opposition parties have criticized the deportation announcement as a voter-pleasing strategy designed to compete with Chega’s anti-immigration stance.
Left-wing parties accuse the government of scapegoating immigrants to gain votes and cover up a 0.5% economic contraction in the first quarter.
Policy Shift and Implementation Challenges
The government has shifted deportation enforcement from the AMIA immigration authority to police forces, a move critics describe as resembling “Trumpian” tactics. However, doubts remain about the practical implementation of mass deportations.
Parliament rejected the government’s proposal to entrust the PSP police with forced evictions, with opposition from both PS Socialists and the Chega party. The government’s ability to track and deport undocumented immigrants has been questioned by critics.
Impact on Nepali Community
Despite the unclear official numbers, the reported deportation orders have caused significant alarm among Nepali immigrants in Portugal.
Many who invested substantial money to migrate now face uncertain futures, particularly those who arrived on Schengen work visas but sought permanent residency.
The pro-immigrant organization Solidariedade Imigrante has expressed outrage, stating: “Expulsion is not the solution, the government has alternatives, we will always fight!”
The lack of clear communication from Portugal’s government has heightened anxiety within immigrant communities. A University of Porto study notes low political participation among immigrants, making them particularly vulnerable to populist policies.
The Bottom Line
While Portugal is indeed implementing stricter immigration policies and preparing deportations, the specific claim about 3,279 Nepalis being ordered to leave appears to be unsubstantiated by official sources. The confusion highlights the challenges of accurate reporting in an era of social media misinformation, particularly affecting vulnerable immigrant communities who rely on fragmented information sources.
The situation reflects broader challenges facing Nepali migrants across Europe as political landscapes shift toward more restrictive immigration policies, but the facts must be separated from the speculation circulating on social media platforms.
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