The reason why we propose to help english speakers wishing to settle in Portugal in the Greater Lisbon area is because many criteria make it a very attractive country that is increasingly chosen for expatriation. One of these reasons is security: Portugal has indeed been ranked third safest country in the world. An additional advantage that is likely to attract more and more Europeans and English speakers from all over the world in 2018.
Eduardo Cabrita: Portuguese Minister for the Interior spoke
It was the Portuguese Interior Minister himself, Eduardo Cabrita, who stated that security in Portugal was a vital asset for the country’s economy. Indeed, he argued that “Only a safe country attracts tourists, investors and new people”. This third place was awarded by the various international evaluations according to Mr Cabrita, who spoke during a session on SERPA’s local security contract. He added that Portugal wanted to remain one of the safest countries in the world, stressing that security “is not the exclusive responsibility of the security forces”, but “of everyone”.
Eduardo Cabrita said that Portugal also wants to continue to be known “as one of the European countries that best welcomes and integrates immigrants” and that this will continue to be a “priority” of the Portuguese government. In this sense, he assured that new measures will be taken by the executive to protect Portuguese workers and that permanent or seasonal foreign workers (during pick-ups, for example) could benefit from them. For what purpose? To ensure that expatriates too are not exploited.
Safety of foreign and local workers
The agreement that was signed in Serpa (15,000 inhabitants) is a test for work safety but will soon be extended: during the harvest, this county receives 5,000 temporary workers, including foreigners. The objective here is to promote the integration of foreigners by consolidating its image as one of the 3 safest countries in the world through the work axis.
Portugal will indeed have to deal with the problems linked to its demographic characteristics: the country will need new, younger populations and is already trying to attract them. For example, municipalities such as Alentejo or Odemira have nearly 20% foreigners in their population, including English-speakers, so it is interesting to know that the government is trying to integrate them as well as possible.
The Portuguese Minister of the Interior recalled that everyone will have to be prepared: the security forces, local authorities, the local community, so that the phenomenon of seasonal migration “is not a problem”, but “an opportunity for development, for a future Alentejo, intercultural, inclusive and cosmopolitan”. Asked by journalists about the appeal by the mayor of Serpa (asking for a new police station), Eduardo Cabrita said the state budget for 2018 would be “good for the security forces”. The government has “a major requalification programme and has bet on new equipment to be launched in 2018”.
Moving to Portugal
Moving to Portugal therefore seems more than ever a good decision for our English-speaking compatriots, who will make sure they live in a country where the security of all (both civil and labour) is a priority for the government.
If you make this decision, contact us so that we can take care of all the administrative or personal steps that will make your life and integration in Portugal easier for you, so that you can concentrate only on the good things.
The Portuguese administration can be long and difficult to understand for a english speaking person who does not master the language. We offer you to be helped and accompanied by one of our dedicated and meticulous Anglo-Portuguese agents.
Place du commerce à Lisbonne
