The number of people who decided to live in Portugal increased by 6% in 2017 compared to 2016, totaling 421,711. Italian and French citizens show the strongest growth of last year and include the top 10 expat communities in Portugal, according to a report by the SEF. This Portuguese Immigration, Borders and Asylum (RIFA) Report for the year 2017, which Bob had access to, provides a clear picture of immigration to Portugal. Despite what one might think France and Italy are very far from being among the largest expatriate communities living in Portugal. What is the ranking of the 10 largest expatriate communities living in Portugal? What is the share of different countries in this top 10 ? Lisbob, the expatriate's assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the 10 largest expat communities in Portugal in 2017.

+ 6% of expats to live in Portugal in 2017

The number of foreign residents in Portugal has increased for the second consecutive year, exceeding in 2017 the 400,000 immigrants, a figure more reached since 2013. The French officially represent 15,319.

The report, which will be presented this week at the ceremony marking the 42 years of the office of foreigners and borders (SEF), highlights that the list of the 10 most represented nationalities changed in 2017 with the entry of Italy. Indeed, the Italian community has recorded an increase of more than 50% in the number of expatriates compared to 2016. So Spain is coming out of the top 10, despite an increase of 12.5% n 2017.

France, which entered the top 10 most representative nationalities of expatriates in Portugal in 2016, recorded a rise of 35.7% in 2017, maintaining the trend and surpassing even Guinea-Bissau.

France and Italy recently in the top 10 expatriates in Portugal, UK now 6th

The SEF estimates that the entry of France (in 2016) and Italy (in 2017) into the ranking of the ten most important expatriate nationalities shows that Portugal is attractive to the citizens of the European Union. This can be explained in particular by the tax advantages resulting from the non-habitual resident regime as well as by the fact that Portugal enjoys a safe country image. According to the report, French residents in Portugal have high levels of education, but more than a third are retired.

With a rise of 15.7%, the natives of the United Kingdom continued to be the sixth expatriate community in Portugal with a total of 22,431 people in 2017, surpassing Angola (16,854). Brazilians, with a total of 85,426 citizens, are the main foreign community in Portugal. This rose by 5.1% last year compared to 2016, reversing the downward trend observed since 2011.

"With regard to the citizens of the African continent, there has been a decline (-2.8%), especially for people from Portuguese-speaking African countries, the easier acquisition of Portuguese nationality is the main basis of this decline, "the report. The RIFA also indicates that 81% of foreign citizens living in Portugal are in the labor force.