Task force for legal support to refugees of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict

Caiado Guerreiro joined the international solidarity movement and created within its Immigration Department a Task Force to provide legal support to Ukrainian refugees arriving to Portugal from the conflict in Eastern Europe, which has already generated the largest wave of European refugees since the Second World War.

The team of lawyers will focus on providing pro bono support to Ukrainian citizens and residents who need it in the context of regularisation processes and obtaining residence permits in Portugal from the Immigration Services.

In the words of the managing partner, João Caiado Guerreiro, “The main goal is to help deburocratize the legal processes inherent to their residence and legalization in Portugal. We have an experienced and very well-trained team in this type of processes, and this is not the first time we have dealt with these challenges in our office, so it was imperative that we do our part to help the Ukrainian people, namely those who choose our country to be their new home.”

“Our Immigration team is well accustomed to providing assistance in different situations, to people of various backgrounds – having ourselves on the team staff of different nationalities – so we are the first to want to offer our knowledge and tools in supporting those who now so badly need them,” says Sara Sousa Rebolo, who co-heads the Immigration Law department, together with Maria Margarida Torres.

Estimates already point to a number of refugees exceeding four million. Portugal, being one of the European countries geographically furthest from the conflict, known for its peaceful environment, and also having a large community of Ukrainian immigrants in the country, is in fact a logical choice for many, either to join family members already in the country, or as a place of protection, having by now received over 4,000 requests for temporary protection and provided 16,000 jobs.

Given the situation, Caiado Guerreiro reinforces its social responsibilities and offers in solidarity what it can best: its services and its Team.