Portugal is stepping up its efforts to attract expatriates back through the 'Regressar' ('Return') programme, launched in 2019.

According to portuguese newspaper Público, the number of applications has never been so high: 2,851 files were submitted in the first half of 2025, a 30% increase compared to 2024.

Since the start of the program, 37,000 people living in 116 countries have benefited from the scheme, including 17,000 emigrants (mainly from Switzerland and France) and 20,000 family members.

The Portuguese community makes up a significant portion of the population in Luxembourg, due to the emigration waves that took place in the late 1960s and especially in the mid-1970s, following the end of the dictatorship in Portugal. Nowadays, for newer generations, the current state of the housing market and the high cost of living in the Grand Duchy could probably increase the appeal of the "Regressar" programme.

The incentives can be enticing: financial aid of up to €15,000, partial coverage of travel expenses, access to loans for starting a business, and even a 50% tax exemption on income for five years.

This last measure cost the state €48.3 million in 2023, but authorities stress that the return of workers also generates additional tax revenue (VAT, etc.).

Mixed results

Despite these outcomes, emigration remains high: 70,000 Portuguese left the country in 2024, mainly for Switzerland.

The program, initiated by the former Socialist government, is seen as a partial success, but for now it is not enough to reverse the trend.