The legislative change was published in the Official Gazette and covers all students up to the 9th grade who arrive in Portugal, whether they are foreigners or Portuguese emigrants returning to the country.

The decree-law recalls that “in certain situations” the process of granting equivalences proved “difficult to instruct quickly and effectively” mainly due to the lack of “supporting documents, the complexity of the legalisation and translation process, and also economic obstacles or obstacles related to political and social instability in the countries of origin”.

As a result of this, the integration of children and young people into their respective school year became “slow” and, in some cases, even “ineffective, making it difficult to properly integrate these students into the Portuguese education system”.

In the last five years, the number of foreigners in the Portuguese education system has increased by 160%, with a “significant increase” in undocumented students also being noted, says the diploma, which has now given schools the power to grant the respective equivalence.

The change allows the integration of all students into primary education and did not include certification of completion of the 9th year of schooling.