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Secretaria Regional dos Assuntos Parlamentares e Comunidades
Azorean Government convenes Regional Advisory Council for Immigration Affairs to implement immigration and integration measures
Azorean Government convenes Regional Advisory Council for Immigration Affairs to implement immigration and integration measures
Secretaria Regional das Finanças, Planeamento e Administração Pública
Regional Government opens AIMA service at Ponta Delgada RIAC office and plans to cover all nine islands by July
Regional Government opens AIMA service at Ponta Delgada RIAC office and plans to cover all nine islands by July
Secretaria Regional dos Assuntos Parlamentares e Comunidades
Regional Government brings regional newspapers to all Private Social Solidarity Institutions and schools across the archipelago
Regional Government brings regional newspapers to all Private Social Solidarity Institutions and schools across the archipelago
March 6, 2026
Azorean Government convenes Regional Advisory Council for Immigration Affairs to implement immigration and integration measures
March 6, 2026
Regional Government opens AIMA service at Ponta Delgada RIAC office and plans to cover all nine islands by July
March 5, 2026
Regional Government brings regional newspapers to all Private Social Solidarity Institutions and schools across the archipelago
News
Nota de Imprensa
March 6, 2026
Azorean Government convenes Regional Advisory Council for Immigration Affairs to implement immigration and integration measures
The Azorean Government, through the Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities (SRAPC), convened today the Regional Advisory Council for Immigration Affairs (CCRAI) for a meeting focused on assessing and defining strategies for welcoming foreign citizens to the archipelago. The working meeting, which marked the debut of the new conference room at the SRAPC headquarters in Ponta Delgada, was chaired by the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão, accompanied by the Regional Director for the Communities, José Andrade. It brought together social partners, public entities and associations representing immigrants that make up this advisory body. The meeting was also graced with the presence of Pedro Portugal Gaspar, President of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), and Carlos Mateus, President of the Integrated Citizen Support Network (RIAC). As part of the agenda, the new Ordinance establishing the creation of Portuguese Language Courses in the Autonomous Region of the Azores was presented at the meeting. With a view to responding to the hundreds of people on the waiting list, the Azorean Government is promoting a substantial increase in training initiatives. "We had the opportunity to amend the ordinance by increasing instructors' hourly pay, from €19 per hour to €25," Paulo Estêvão explained, adding that the Government is challenging municipalities and the University of the Azores to join this training effort led by CRESAÇOR and AIPA. The government official stated that the goal is to "end the waiting list as quickly as possible," aiming to clear it within a year and a half to two years. The updated document of the Guide to Hiring Foreign Citizens in the Region was also presented at the event. According to the Regional Secretary, this update aims to provide employers with complete and accurate information to overcome bureaucratic constraints, ensuring rapid and effective integration into the labour market. During the meeting, the Regional Secretary announced the transfer of an adjoining building to the SRAPC premises in Ponta Delgada for the installation of the new headquarters of the Association of Immigrants in the Azores (AIPA). "It is a long-standing aspiration of the association. The number of cases has increased significantly, and the current facilities are no longer adequate," he stressed. In terms of decentralising migration policies, the Council also discussed the 4th Azores Migration Forum, to be held in April in the two municipalities of Flores and Corvo. Paulo Estêvão justified the decision by pointing out the relevance of discussing the issue in the most remote areas of the Region, noting that the foreign population in Flores already exceeds 10% of the resident population. With the regular revitalisation of this Advisory Council, the Azorean Government reiterates its commitment to building a pluralistic, inclusive and tolerant society, valuing the essential contribution of immigrant communities to the economic and cultural development of the Region.
March 6, 2026
Azorean Government convenes Regional Advisory Council for Immigration Affairs to implement immigration and integration measures
The Azorean Government, through the Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities (SRAPC), convened today the Regional Advisory Council for Immigration Affairs (CCRAI) for a meeting focused on assessing and defining strategies for welcoming foreign citizens to the archipelago. The working meeting, which marked the debut of the new conference room at the SRAPC headquarters in Ponta Delgada, was chaired by the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão, accompanied by the Regional Director for the Communities, José Andrade. It brought together social partners, public entities and associations representing immigrants that make up this advisory body. The meeting was also graced with the presence of Pedro Portugal Gaspar, President of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), and Carlos Mateus, President of the Integrated Citizen Support Network (RIAC). As part of the agenda, the new Ordinance establishing the creation of Portuguese Language Courses in the Autonomous Region of the Azores was presented at the meeting. With a view to responding to the hundreds of people on the waiting list, the Azorean Government is promoting a substantial increase in training initiatives. "We had the opportunity to amend the ordinance by increasing instructors' hourly pay, from €19 per hour to €25," Paulo Estêvão explained, adding that the Government is challenging municipalities and the University of the Azores to join this training effort led by CRESAÇOR and AIPA. The government official stated that the goal is to "end the waiting list as quickly as possible," aiming to clear it within a year and a half to two years. The updated document of the Guide to Hiring Foreign Citizens in the Region was also presented at the event. According to the Regional Secretary, this update aims to provide employers with complete and accurate information to overcome bureaucratic constraints, ensuring rapid and effective integration into the labour market. During the meeting, the Regional Secretary announced the transfer of an adjoining building to the SRAPC premises in Ponta Delgada for the installation of the new headquarters of the Association of Immigrants in the Azores (AIPA). "It is a long-standing aspiration of the association. The number of cases has increased significantly, and the current facilities are no longer adequate," he stressed. In terms of decentralising migration policies, the Council also discussed the 4th Azores Migration Forum, to be held in April in the two municipalities of Flores and Corvo. Paulo Estêvão justified the decision by pointing out the relevance of discussing the issue in the most remote areas of the Region, noting that the foreign population in Flores already exceeds 10% of the resident population. With the regular revitalisation of this Advisory Council, the Azorean Government reiterates its commitment to building a pluralistic, inclusive and tolerant society, valuing the essential contribution of immigrant communities to the economic and cultural development of the Region.
Nota de Imprensa
March 6, 2026
Regional Government opens AIMA service at Ponta Delgada RIAC office and plans to cover all nine islands by July
The Regional Government opened today the new service provided by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) at the Integrated Citizen and Business Support Network (RIAC-RIAE) office in Ponta Delgada. The opening ceremony was jointly chaired by the Regional Secretary for Finance, Planning and Public Administration, Duarte Freitas, who oversees the RIAC network, and the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão. The event was also attended by the President of the AIMA Board of Directors, Pedro Portugal Gaspar, and the President of RIAC, Carlos Mateus. This partnership between the regional administration and the national agency aims to decentralise and speed up responses to foreign citizens residing in the Region, facilitating access to essential integration and document regularisation services. At the event, Paulo Estêvão recalled that, until now, immigration services were concentrated on a few islands, which required costly travel during the working week, heavily dependent on air connections. "This was very detrimental to our immigrants. We identified the problem and moved forward with this project together with AIMA, relying on RIAC's outstanding response capacity and efficiency," explained the government official. The Azorean Government is committed to expanding this local response to the entire archipelago in the very short term. “From July this year, we will have a response on all the islands. We will have RIAC offices providing the same effective response in Corvo or São Miguel,” stressed the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities. With a view to ensuring that regularisations take place "in record time" and without bureaucratic delays, the Azorean Government has signed preliminary agreements with AIPA (Association of Immigrants in the Azores) and CRESAÇOR. These entities will provide direct support in preparing the applications, ensuring that the documentation is complete when it reaches the RIAC offices. Paulo Estêvão pointed out that, as of today, the immigrant population in the Azores stands at around 9,000 people. This figure represents less than 4% of the Region's resident population, a growth rate well below the average of 15% recorded in Mainland Portugal. Despite its smaller scale, the government official noted the deeply humanistic approach of this integration policy: "Resolving this bureaucratic issue sends a message that immigration is welcome and that we welcome people." He added: “We are a people of emigrants. We have not forgotten the difficulties we had to face in other lands, and we want to provide all the conditions here to overcome those difficulties.” With the opening of this new office in Ponta Delgada, the Regional Government takes another decisive step towards consolidating an inclusive public service network adapted to the current demographic and social reality of the archipelago.
March 6, 2026
Regional Government opens AIMA service at Ponta Delgada RIAC office and plans to cover all nine islands by July
The Regional Government opened today the new service provided by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) at the Integrated Citizen and Business Support Network (RIAC-RIAE) office in Ponta Delgada. The opening ceremony was jointly chaired by the Regional Secretary for Finance, Planning and Public Administration, Duarte Freitas, who oversees the RIAC network, and the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão. The event was also attended by the President of the AIMA Board of Directors, Pedro Portugal Gaspar, and the President of RIAC, Carlos Mateus. This partnership between the regional administration and the national agency aims to decentralise and speed up responses to foreign citizens residing in the Region, facilitating access to essential integration and document regularisation services. At the event, Paulo Estêvão recalled that, until now, immigration services were concentrated on a few islands, which required costly travel during the working week, heavily dependent on air connections. "This was very detrimental to our immigrants. We identified the problem and moved forward with this project together with AIMA, relying on RIAC's outstanding response capacity and efficiency," explained the government official. The Azorean Government is committed to expanding this local response to the entire archipelago in the very short term. “From July this year, we will have a response on all the islands. We will have RIAC offices providing the same effective response in Corvo or São Miguel,” stressed the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities. With a view to ensuring that regularisations take place "in record time" and without bureaucratic delays, the Azorean Government has signed preliminary agreements with AIPA (Association of Immigrants in the Azores) and CRESAÇOR. These entities will provide direct support in preparing the applications, ensuring that the documentation is complete when it reaches the RIAC offices. Paulo Estêvão pointed out that, as of today, the immigrant population in the Azores stands at around 9,000 people. This figure represents less than 4% of the Region's resident population, a growth rate well below the average of 15% recorded in Mainland Portugal. Despite its smaller scale, the government official noted the deeply humanistic approach of this integration policy: "Resolving this bureaucratic issue sends a message that immigration is welcome and that we welcome people." He added: “We are a people of emigrants. We have not forgotten the difficulties we had to face in other lands, and we want to provide all the conditions here to overcome those difficulties.” With the opening of this new office in Ponta Delgada, the Regional Government takes another decisive step towards consolidating an inclusive public service network adapted to the current demographic and social reality of the archipelago.