Housing for asylum seekers in Portugal: trajectories of precarity

The increase in the population of migrants and asylum seekers in Portugal in recent years has brought new challenges for housing. This article discusses the housing barriers facing migrants without international protection. The research employs mixed methods, integrating quantitative and qualitative data. The trajectory of housing is analysed using quantitative data on 1 781 asylum seekers hosted in Portugal between 2019 and 2021, together with qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 26 asylum seekers and 7 social workers from services providers. The analysis is supported by a discussion of recent developments in housing policy. The findings reveal the trajectories of precarity with evidence of discrimination, low-quality, overcrowded spaces and illegal renting, aggravated by high housing prices, the scarcity of social housing and the COVID-19 pandemic. The conclusions suggest that precarity and difficulties in accessing housing make migrants and asylum seekers more vulnerable, thus underscoring the need for public housing responses. The paper brings new evidence on how housing policy intersects with migration and the need for public housing responses.