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The Aula Magna auditorium at the University of Lisbon rectory, a large sloping hall of green seats filled with an audience facing a wooden stage

An Inspection Finds Fernando Pessoa University Enrolled 52 Students Without Legal Grounds

A report by the education inspectorate, seen by Publico, found the private Porto university admitted 52 students improperly, citing favouritism, missing admission-exam evidence and a 'parallel entry channel' into its Dentistry course, and urged measures to restore legality.

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

A view of the town of Torres Vedras in Portugal at dusk, white houses with red roofs below a hilltop medieval castle and church

A Torres Vedras Family Health Unit Becomes the First in the SNS to Be Run by a Private Company

The Sao Pedro da Cadeira unit near Lisbon opened on Monday under Knok, a Portuguese telemedicine firm on a EUR2.4 million, five-year state contract, the SNS's first privately managed family health unit. It serves 5,463 patients, with Silves and Lagos next.

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

The columned entrance of the Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity building in Portugal, with its name engraved above glass doors

Employers Caught With Undeclared Staff Now Repay Three Months of Contributions, Down From a Year

A rule in force since January cuts the back Social Security contributions an employer owes when caught using undeclared workers from twelve months to three, easing the penalty for firms even as fines climb, and shrinking the record of workers who were never registered.

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

General Daily Briefing — Monday, 3 August 2026

General Daily Briefing — Monday, 3 August 2026

Good morning. Here is your Monday briefing for 3 August 2026 — six stories shaping Portugal today, from a one-off windfall tax on oil companies to a heatwave pushing almost the whole mainland into maximum fire danger, plus two new practical guides: one on getting a criminal record certificate and another

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

A parched Portuguese landscape after wildfire near Pedrogao Grande, with charred pine trees, dry dusty ground and a road under a hot clear sky

A Heatwave Drives Almost the Entire Mainland to Maximum Fire Danger This Week

Every northern and central district plus Faro sits at maximum fire risk on Monday, with IPMA yellow warnings almost nationwide through Tuesday evening. Highs of 40°C are forecast for Santarém and Évora, and the elevated danger is expected to last all week.

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

A spread of euro banknotes and assorted euro coins representing money and savings

Portugal's Savings Certificates Climb to a 2.474% Base Rate for August

The base rate on Certificados de Aforro rises to 2.474% in August, up from 2.356% in July and just under its 2.5% cap. With a €100 minimum, a state guarantee and permanence bonuses of up to 1.75 points, the state's savings certificates remain a low-risk home for cash.

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

An empty school classroom with wooden desks and chairs, a whiteboard, an interactive screen and shelves of colourful binders

The Cabinet Clears a Rolling Teacher-Hiring Contest and Extends the School Phone Ban to Ninth Grade

The Council of Ministers has approved a 'continuous' teacher-recruitment model to fill classroom vacancies faster from 2026/2027, and extended the school smartphone ban to grades seven to nine. Secondary school will now start on 21 September.

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

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