Portugal's AIMA faces migration staff strike as Lisbon expands local migrant support network

Migration technicians at Portugal's Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) have announced a week‑long strike from 1 to 5 June, citing deteriorating working conditions, increased workload and inadequate resources. union leader Manuela Niza warned that the stoppage will cause serious service disruptions for both staff and migrant applicants.

At the same time, the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML) and AIMA are moving ahead with plans to create a network of local "Espaços AIMA" across municipalities. The initiative, presented at a metropolitan social‑health working group meeting, aims to bring migrant‑integration services closer to communities, building on a pilot centre in Mafra that has already handled more than 6,500 cases. Officials say the model will be adapted to each municipality to improve social cohesion and procedural efficiency.