INE reveals, according to ECO, that the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has not yet sent data on the "foreign population with a valid residence permit on December 31st," nor on the "granting of residence permits."

According to the statistics institution, the last data sent by AIMA were received in June 2024, referring to the year 2023. Thus, INE informs ECO that the agreement between the two entities was not fulfilled, as AIMA was expected to send provisional data to INE in February and final data in May. Therefore, INE reveals that AIMA did not provide this data for statistical purposes. The issue was raised by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who noted that the INE revealed that Portugal would have 10.74 million inhabitants in 2024, an increase of 109,000 compared to 2023, while the government stated that in April, more than 1.546 million foreigners had resident status in Portugal in 2024.

In a press conference with the Expresso newspaper, the President of the Republic emphasised that either 1.6 billion immigrants reside in Portugal or Portugal has a total population of 12 million. Alternatively, approximately one and a half million immigrants are currently residing in Portugal, while the resident population stands at 10.74 million.

Following government statements, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa asserts that "INE's figures contain less reliable variables than AIMA's," as quoted in the newspaper Nascer do Sol, cited by ECO. Given this situation, the president suggests that INE bring forward the population census, which was originally scheduled for 2031.