The programme, called Integrar para a Construção (Integrate for Construction), has been created by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) and is expected to provide training opportunities for 500 participants.

Applications are now open and will remain available until 5 July. Organisers plan to divide participants into 25 training groups, combining technical instruction with practical workplace experience.

The initiative is open to immigrants living in Portugal, as well as asylum seekers, refugees and beneficiaries of temporary protection schemes.

Participants will be able to train in a range of construction-related professions, including electrical work, plumbing, machinery operation, carpentry, painting and finishing trades. Alongside technical training, the programme will include work placements designed to help participants gain hands-on experience in the sector.

Those accepted onto the programme will receive training support that includes accident insurance, transport assistance, meal subsidies and a training allowance.

According to AIMA, the project forms part of Portugal’s wider efforts to support labour market integration while helping address workforce shortages in key sectors of the economy.

The programme is being funded through a partnership involving AIMA, the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP) and the Construction Industry Training Centre (CICCOPN), with support from industry organisations and private-sector partners.

With a budget of approximately €2.5 million, the initiative seeks to improve access to employment while helping construction companies find workers with the skills needed to meet growing demand.

The project also forms part of the broader Integrar para o Mercado initiative, which focuses on improving labour market integration through vocational training and workplace experience. Similar programmes have already been introduced in sectors such as tourism.

Officials say the approach combines technical qualifications with Portuguese language learning and practical work experience, helping participants build the skills required for long-term employment in Portugal.

The construction industry has repeatedly highlighted labour shortages as one of the sector’s biggest challenges, making workforce development programmes increasingly important as demand for housing and infrastructure projects continues to grow.