According to the protocol to which Lusa had access, the granting of visas "must occur within 20 days from the day the applicant is seen at the consular post" and provided that the legal requirements are met, namely the existence of an employment contract and health and travel insurance, among others.

The Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, said last week that the agreement is not a green light for immigration.

Business confederations interviewed by Lusa applauded the cooperation protocol, considering that it “guarantees speed for companies”, with the “sensitive point” being the obligation to guarantee access to accommodation.

The objective is to speed up the hiring of foreign citizens with formal employment contracts through an agreement signed with employers' confederations.

The protocol will be signed between employers' confederations and business associations and the Directorate General for Consular Affairs and Portuguese Communities (DGACCP), the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), the Borders and Foreigners Coordination Unit of the Internal Security System (UCFE/SSI) and the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP).