Covid-19 has had a huge impact across the world, and has severely limited the movement of people across borders, as well as within countries.
After several months of lockdown and restrictions, Portugal is returning to a new normality. Masks must be worn in shops and public buildings, social distancing must be maintained, and hand-sanitizer is made available at the entrance to many buildings. Many shops control access, and have floor markings to indicate safe distance between people in queues, and to channel customers in one entrance and out of another, to help keep social distance. These measures are legally enforceable, widely supported and well-adhered to. Unlike some countries, this is not a matter of personal choice.
Immigration and entry to Portugal has also been heavily affected.
Many airlines cancelled flights during the lockdown. While air travel is beginning to be restored with many EU destinations, flights between the EU and outside are still heavily controlled. The EU is now beginning to open its external borders, but initially only people from 15 countries will be able to enter the EU:
Algeria
Australia
Canada
Georgia
Japan
Montenegro
Morocco
New Zealand
Rwanda
Serbia
South Korea
Thailand
Tunisia
Uruguay
China *subject to confirmation of reciprocity
This list will be adjusted as necessary, with countries being removed if they see a major increase in the virus, and hopefully with more countries being added if they get the virus levels under control.
It is notable that both the USA and Brazil are not presently on the list. Both countries have seen very high levels of the virus, but perhaps more importantly, government action to combat the virus has been patchy and politicization has lead to poor adherence to what few measures there are by much of the population. It could be some months before entry from these countries to the EU is permitted again.
But longer term, Portugal will still welcome immigrants. Forbes recently ranked Portugal as the number one location for US citizens to retire to after Covid-19, and the comparative responses since April of the Portuguese and US governments to the pandemic will only enhance this view:
Forbes: Living and retiring overseas post the coronavirus