Alemao
Not the case!!! The Portuguese immigration law allows for the recruitment of "highly qualified workers" as long as the employer makes an application confirming intent to recruit the worker. Believe this is the way it is done, not being very familiar with the exact procedure as I don't need it.
Additionally, after working a certain time in Portugal (I believe it is 6 years, but not sure) the worker becomes entitled to the citizenship.
You quite rightly mentioned that a lot of Brasilians are entitled to European passports. One of the captains has a German passport and another was working on getting a Italian passport, but they would be OK without an EU passport and, in any case, some might entitled to a Portuguese passport in a not so distant future.