The research, conducted by the consulting firm and health insurance specialist William Russell, assessed the integration ecosystem of dozens of geographies in 2026. The final report awarded Portugal an overall score of 7.47 out of 10, based on the balance between legal access to entry and the national labour market's absorption capacity.

Foreign population in Portugal

According to the macroeconomic and demographic indicators compiled in the study, the migrant population currently accounts for 10.80% of Portugal's total population. Among this contingent of foreign citizens, the employment rate stood at a robust 76.50%, a figure that the consulting firm identifies as a strong sign of active participation in the local economy and financial autonomy in the first months after moving.

Visa openness score

Another pillar that catapulted the country into the world's "Top 10" was its visa openness score, set at 93 points on a scale of 100, reflecting a low volume of bureaucratic barriers to entry for a wide range of nationalities.

International ranking

The top of the international ranking is led by Iceland, which secured first place thanks to an employment rate of 84.2% for foreign-born citizens, combined with exceptional public safety indices and very high levels of satisfaction in the expatriate user experience.

Luxembourg comes in second place, owing to its highest internationalisation rate in the index, with migrants representing more than half of civil society (51.2%). New Zealand closes the podium in third place worldwide, penalised only by a more restrictive and selective visa policy (61 out of 100), despite guaranteeing an 82.3% labour market integration rate for those who manage to settle in the country.

William Cooper, director of William Russell, warns in the report that one of the biggest mistakes made by those deciding to move to another country is assuming that a destination's tourist popularity guarantees a smooth transition. He emphasises that true welcome goes far beyond initial friendliness or scenery, measured by ease of access to healthcare, financial stability, public attitudes towards immigration, and the ability of the foreign citizen to feel like a full participant in society, not just a passing visitor.