In 2020 Portuguese emigration fell abruptly, to values similar to those observed at the beginning of the 21st century, of around 45,000 departures. The bulk of the fall was not the result of an accentuation of previous trends associated with the socioeconomic dynamics of the country, but the effect of two extreme events and of external origin: the covid-19 pandemic and Brexit.The 2021 edition of the Factbook includes data updated to 2020 (or last year available) on total Portuguese emigration and to the main destination countries, as well as on emigrants' remittances.

In 2019, after five years of continued decline, Portuguese emigration shows signs of tendency to stabilise at a level of around 75,000 departures per year. The growth recorded between 2018 and 2019, from 75 to 80,000 exits, was essentially due to a greater number of Portuguese entering the United Kingdom, in what appears to be a concentration of emigration decisions to that country motivated by fears of possible blockages once Brexit was completed. The 2020 edition of the Factbook includes data updated to 2019 (or last year available) on total Portuguese emigration and to the main destination countries, as well as on emigrants' remittances.

In 2018, the Portuguese emigration decreased again, with about 80 thousand individuals leaving the country. Overall, the decline observed is strongly correlated with the recovery of the Portuguese economy, especially in terms of job creation (Pires, Pereira and Azevedo, 2018), as well as the reduction of the attraction of destination countries such as the United Kingdom, due to the Brexit, and Angola, due to the economic crisis triggered by the devaluation of oil prices. The 2019 edition of the Factbook includes data updated to 2018 (or last year available) on total Portuguese emigration and to the main destination countries, as well as on emigrants' remittances.

In 2017, Portuguese emigration continued its sustained downward trend, with around 85 thousand individuals leaving the country. Overall, the decrease is strongly correlated with the recovery of the Portuguese economy, especially in terms of job creation, as well as the reduction in attraction of destination countries such as the United Kingdom and Angola. The 2018 edition of the Factbook includes data updated to 2017 (or last year available) on total Portuguese emigration and to the main destination countries, as well as on emigrants' remittances.

In 2016, the decrease in Portuguese emigration was accelerated, with about 100 thousand individuals leaving the country. The review of the statistical series estimated by the Observatory on total emigration points to the existence of a peak of emigration in 2013, higher than the one estimated so far, of around 120,000 outflows, as well as a progressive slower descent, in 2014 and 2015, to values around 110 thousand exits. The 2017 edition of the Factbook includes data updated to 2016 (or last year available) on total Portuguese emigration and for the main countries of destination, as well as on emigrants' remittances.

It is confirmed that Portuguese emigration ceased to grow. However, it maintains values that are clearly higher than 100 thousand exits per year. The 2016 edition of the Factbook includes data updated to 2015 (or last year available) on total Portuguese emigration and for the main countries of destination, as well as on emigrants' remittances.

According to the available data, in 2014 Portuguese emigration remained at a high level: as in 2013, more than 110 thousand Portuguese left the country. The Factbook's 2015 edition includes a systematization of the main data from the 2000/01 and 2010/11 censuses on the sociodemographic characteristics of Portuguese immigrant populations in OECD countries.

According to the available data, Portugal is today the country of the European Union with more emigrants in proportion to its resident population. The number of Portuguese emigrants exceeds two million, which means that about 20% of Portuguese live outside the country in which they were born. The 2014 edition of the Factbook brings together a chronological series on Portuguese emigration to the main destination countries covering the entire twenty-first century.