Enrollment in Portuguese Language for Foreigners (PLA) courses has grown from 22,014 students in the 2020/2021 school year to 56,397 in 2025, according to data from the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) reported by The Portugal News. Over the same period, the number of courses on offer grew from 1,143 to 2,887.
The courses are free, delivered through public schools, the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training’s (IEFP) network of centres, the Qualifica Centres network, and community associations. But demand has outpaced supply in places — waiting lists now stretch from several months to more than a year in some areas.
This is precisely the gap our Education & Leadership work is built around. Language access is one of the biggest determinants of whether someone can find stable work, understand their rights, or take part in civic life in a new country. Numbers like these confirm that expanding access to language learning isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s foundational.
Source: The Portugal News, ‘Demand for Portuguese language courses among immigrants increases’ (May 2026).