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Countries with aging populations expand visas for foreigners after the pandemic, while income, education, and financial proof requirements show how the competition for skilled labor still depends on restrictive criteria for candidates from lower-wage economies.
Germany, Japan, and Portugal have expanded visa programs to attract foreigners after the pandemic, amid the decline of the economically active population and the demographic aging recorded in these countries.
According to a report published by the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo, in some cases, the financial proof required is equivalent to more than three years of Brazilian minimum wage, which limits the reach of the programs for some candidates.
In Germany, the authorization known as Chancenkarte, or “opportunity card,” was launched in June 2024 to allow foreigners to enter for up to one year.
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With this visa, the candidate can look for a job in the country even without a prior contract with a German company, as long as they meet education, scoring, and financial maintenance requirements.
To apply, the foreigner needs to prove technical or higher education and achieve a minimum score in criteria such as qualification, professional experience, age, and language proficiency.
Additionally, the rules require sufficient resources for staying in the country, amounting to approximately € 12,000, about R$ 69,000, as reported.
During the job search period, the Chancenkarte holder can work up to 20 hours per week in any area, according to the program rules.
If they secure a position compatible with migration criteria, the foreigner can regularize their stay in Germany without needing to return to their home country.
Germany expands visa amid worker shortage
The creation of the Chancenkarte occurred in a context of a reduction in the German workforce, associated with population aging and a decline in the number of people of working age.
Data from Destatis, the federal statistics institute of Germany, indicate that the portion of the population aged 67 or older was about 20% in 2024.
The agency’s projections indicate that this age group could reach something between 25% and 27% in 2038, depending on the demographic scenario considered.
Even with the demand for workers, the issuance of the visa fell below the target set by the German government in the first year of the program’s operation.
According to an investigation by the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo, the German Ministry of the Interior reported that just over 11,000 visas had been issued by June 2025 since the launch.
The government’s initial forecast was to reach 30,000 authorizations per year, according to the data cited in the report.
Brazilian immigration consultant Luana Medeiros, 36, who has lived in Germany for six years, attributes the difficulty of access to the amount required for financial proof.
“Not everyone has this amount in Brazil,” she said.
“The Chancenkarte is for qualified people. That’s the crux of the matter.”
Originally from Itajubá (MG), doctor Chan Lym, 39, arrived in the country with the visa and began working as an elderly caregiver while awaiting diploma validation.
When she applied for renewal, she received a provisional document that, according to her, does not authorize work during the analysis period.
“I am from a profession that is in high demand here. I was already working, paying taxes, all within the law, but when requesting the extension, they do not allow me to work,” Chan stated.
Japan adopts short visa for remote worker
In Japan, population aging also appears among the factors that pressure the labor market, although the visa created in 2024 specifically focuses on remote workers.
The Japanese program was launched in March 2024 and allows a maximum stay of six months for foreigners who meet the criteria defined by the government.
According to the rules of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the applicant must be a citizen of a country or region with a visa exemption and tax agreement with Japan.
The interested party also needs to prove an individual annual income of at least 10 million yen, about R$ 323 thousand, in addition to valid medical insurance.
Due to the income requirement, the program has come to be called a “visa for wealthy nomads,” a designation used in debates about access criteria.
The newspaper Folha de S. Paulo also pointed out that only 137 foreigners were living in Japan with this authorization in June 2025, according to data from the Japanese Immigration Service.
Among the visa holders registered that month, none were Brazilian, according to the official information cited in the report.
By the end of 2024, 196 people had entered Japan through the program since its launch, a number considered small given the size of the Japanese market.
The Japanese government reported that the financial requirement was set to ensure a stable economic base during the foreigners’ stay in the country.
Portugal sees an increase in demand from Brazilians
In 2022, Portugal adopted the D8 visa for remote workers, aimed at foreigners who have income from companies or clients outside Portuguese territory.
To apply for the authorization, the candidate must prove a minimum monthly income of € 3,680, in addition to a link with a foreign company or working as a freelancer for clients outside Portugal.
Among Brazilians, the demand for the visa has grown in recent years, according to data from the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited in the report.
In the first two years of the program, Portugal issued 552 D8 visas to Brazilian citizens.
In 2025, this total rose to 2,697, almost five times more than the volume recorded in the initial period.
By May 2026, the Portuguese government had recorded 1,232 new applications, according to information attributed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The increase occurred in a country that also faces significant demographic change, according to data from the Portuguese National Institute of Statistics.
In 2024, 24.3% of the population was 65 years or older, a proportion higher than recorded in previous decades.
Projections from the institute itself indicate that, without immigration, Portugal could shrink from 10.7 million to about 6 million inhabitants by 2100.
The arrival of foreigners with external income has also become part of the public debate on housing, especially in cities with higher tourist and real estate pressure.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, Portugal recorded an annual increase of 18.9% in property prices, one of the highest in the European Union, according to Eurostat data released in April 2026.
In Lisbon, residential neighborhoods have started to coexist with a greater presence of tourism, temporary rentals, and property purchases by foreigners.
A delegation from the European Parliament that visited the Portuguese capital in March 2026 classified the country’s housing situation as a severe crisis.
In the migration field, the Portuguese government canceled in 2024 tax benefits aimed at foreigners and restructured the processing of visa applications.
In April 2026, applications began to be centralized at the embassy in Brasília, with new service centers in Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Fortaleza, Recife, and Belém.
Countries compete for professionals with income and qualifications
The competition for foreign workers is not limited to Germany, Japan, and Portugal, as other countries have also created permits aimed at qualified professionals or remote workers.
Estonia launched a specific visa for digital nomads in 2020, aimed at people who work remotely for companies or clients outside the country.
According to Folha de S. Paulo, the United Kingdom created the High Potential Individual in 2022, aimed at people who graduated in the previous five years from universities listed by the British government.
This program allows attracting professionals with high academic qualifications, even without a prior job offer in British territory.
The initiatives indicate that some countries with aging populations have started to combine migratory openness with income, education, and professional experience filters.
In practice, the programs expand legal entry routes for foreigners but maintain requirements that restrict access for candidates from countries with lower salaries.
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