Over 1,200 Moroccans Obtain Legal Stay Documents in Portugal

A process launched in Portugal to issue legal stay and work documents to illegal immigrants has benefited 1,288 Moroccans, says the Portuguese department of foreigners and borders.

According to the source, a total of 137,100 foreigners who were illegally living in Portugal obtained a one-year stay document, renewable for five years if the applicant produces a work contract and evidence to subscription to a social security system.

The largest community is composed of east European nationals while the north African community counts in addition to the 1,288 Moroccan, 124 Algerian, 124 Tunisians and 41 Mauritanians.

Construction and public works, the biggest employer of foreigners, still needs between 10,000 to 20,000 additional foreign workers, mainly to build the ten stadiums needed for the upcoming European nations championships slated for 2004.