In the pursuit of investment opportunities in Europe, savvy investors often view credit rating reports from international rating agencies as valuable benchmarks. Guided by these authoritative ratings, they are frequently able to precisely identify investment destinations with long-term growth momentum and market potential, thereby making more forward-looking and strategic choices.
Good news. Recently, the European financial rating agency Scope announced that it has maintained Portugal's credit rating at A- and upgraded its outlook.
Scope emphasized that Portugal's continued debt reduction, prudent budgetary policies, and improvements in the external environment are the primary reasons for this outlook upgrade. Consequently, Scope has maintained the long-term rating for Portugal's senior unsecured debt in both local and foreign currency at A-, and adjusted the outlook from stable to positive. It also maintained the issuer's short-term local and foreign currency S-1 rating with a stable outlook.
Scope projects that the Portuguese economy will grow by 1.9% in 2024 and accelerate to 2.2% in 2025. In 2024, Portugal's primary surplus is expected to account for 2.5% of GDP, with a fiscal surplus of 0.4% of GDP. It also predicts that growth will be primarily driven by exports and investment, with substantial funding from the European Union providing additional support.
Previously, Fitch maintained Portugal's rating at "A-" with a stable outlook; S&P maintained Portugal's rating at "A-" with a positive outlook; and Moody's maintained Portugal's rating at "A3" with a stable outlook. The improvement in credit ratings is a sign of confidence in Portugal and its economic future. This reflects Portugal's excellent performance in economic and budgetary terms, and also demonstrates the broad recognition of Portugal's economic prospects by the international market.
Following a 2.3% growth in the Portuguese economy in 2023, the economy is moving forward steadily in 2024, and Portugal is being favored by capital markets. For those interested in investing in Portugal, now is an excellent time. As an EU member state, Portugal is a highly livable and tourist-friendly European country, and its relaxed immigration policy is favored by countless applicants aspiring to obtain an EU passport. Whether for daily life, travel, or investment, Portugal can meet the needs of many, and an increasing number of people are choosing to go to Portugal for various reasons, including tourism, immigration, investment, and study. Since the launch of the Portugal Golden Residence Permit Program in 2012, it has been highly sought after by numerous immigrant investors worldwide.
According to data from the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), more than 1 million foreigners were residing in Portugal in 2023. This figure is the highest ever recorded, representing a 130% increase compared to 2022, equivalent to 10% of Portugal's total population. Over the past five years, the number of immigrants in Portugal has nearly doubled, increasing from less than 480,000 at the end of 2018 to 800,000 in 2022. The arrival of immigrants has had a significant impact on the Portuguese economy. Official data shows that in 2022, 800,000 immigrants contributed more than 1 billion euros to social security. Immigrants received nearly 257 million euros in social benefits, resulting in a total contribution balance of 1.6 billion euros.
As Portugal has removed the real estate investment option from its Golden Visa program, the Portugal Fund Immigration Program has emerged as a new focus for global investors. With its unique investment approach and flexible application conditions, this program provides a new option for those who wish to immigrate to Portugal. According to Portuguese legislation, non-EU citizens wishing to apply for a Portuguese Golden Visa can do so by investing 500,000 euros in a fund. The investment term is a minimum of five years, and 60% of the fund's investment portfolio must be invested in commercial companies headquartered in Portugal, thereby driving the development of the Portuguese economy and employment.
Portugal Fund Investment Immigration opens a brand-new chapter for you to enter the European Union—EU Financial Immigration: purchase EU financial bonds and obtain EU country status. Limited global issuance, exclusively launched by Worldway Group. While obtaining stable returns by purchasing bonds and preferred shares of banks and insurance companies, you can also acquire a Portuguese permanent renewable residence permit that leads to an EU passport!
Under pressure from the European Commission, Spain has initiated plans to close its Golden Residence Visa program. How much longer can the Portuguese Golden Residence program last? Opportunities for immigration cannot wait; do not miss this low-threshold opportunity for the whole family to immigrate to the EU! Act now! Currently, it is an excellent time to immigrate to Portugal. We advise all interested investors to seize the opportunity and apply as soon as possible!
As a top 500 Asian brand and a group dedicated to investment immigration for over 20 years, Worldway Group was one of the earliest immigration agencies in China to promote the Portuguese Golden Residence Visa program in October 2012. In April 2013, we partnered with the Embassy of Portugal in China to hold the "Portugal Golden Residence Program Launch Ceremony," introducing the program to China and helping numerous investors realize their dreams of living in Portugal. Worldway Group is your trusted choice for handling Portuguese immigration.
For inquiries, please contact Mainland China: 400-138-2929, Hong Kong Customer Service Center: (852) 2802 8798