Portugal’s Prime Minister, António Costa, says the country needs more immigrants to thwart a predicted demographic breakdown caused by an ever-ageing population.
According to figures from a 2017 study by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation, the country needs a minimum 50,000 foreigners per year to start to restore the balance between the working and non-working sectors of the population.
To fulfill the objective to get enough people of working age into the country, the Government really needs to attract 75,000 immigrants per year.
At a time when European countries are increasingly clamping down on immigrants, Portugal could emerge as a country that is open to foreigners. In 2016, the country took in more than 61,000 new residents, the highest number since 2009, states the report.
The Government is studying new ways to attract new inhabitants to Portugal and is looking at amendments to the current immigration laws to make it easier for foreigners to come and live in Portugal.
As an example of amendments already actioned, residence permits now can be issued to those who have a ‘promise of employment’ rather than an actual work contract, as was previously required.
According to the Foreigners and Borders Service, when this rule was relaxed, in the first week there was an increase of 1,300% new requests – a total of 4,073 people.
In the Foundation’s study, without the entry of migrants, by 2060 Portugal would have lost 40% of its population of working age.
Those looking at Portugal when planning a new life, may be disconcerted to see that almost 50% of the households that submitted a tax return in 2016, registered gross incomes of under €10,000-per-year.
In a population of around 10.3 million, IRS statistics show that only 0.81% of the total number of taxpayers earned more than €100,000-per-year.
In the €10,000 to €19,000 gross income range, 27.62% of households were included.
Between €19,000 and €40,000, 19.40% of households were represented and between €40,000 and €100,000, only 7.18% of households qualified.
Gross incomes did increase during 2016, ending 4.57% higher than the year before.
Comments
That is why people do not come and if you want to work there is almost none and its badly paid , but you pay the same elevated taxes as the rest of Europe
for those who want to work let us hope the Portuguese treat them better than they did the east Europeans in the past who worked and were cheated and not paid so many times
If the British commonwealth is suffering today, then it is because of their own ... Backwardness
Only Terrorists can come and go in Portugal as they please.
One entire group of nationals - the British Commonwealth - still suffer today from Portuguese backwardness .....The last line of the Portuguese Anthem chorus, "Contra os canhões marchar, marchar!" (Against the cannons, march, march!), is a poor disguise of the original, "Contra os bretões marchar, marchar" (Against the Britons, march, march!), a call to arms against the 1890 British Ultimatum. Still only yesterday for many locals here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Portuguesa
Paying young Portuguese workers as Peter mentioned is the most obvious solution to keep nurses, doctor, teachers etc.. in the country. And with the a bit of money in their pockets they're more likely to play happy families and thus increase the population.
Charly, politicians are not paid to think, they are paid to serve. Unfortunately they serve their $$$ campaign contributors instead of serving the people that voted for them. This fraud happens in most countries.