Portugal wants to attract young Portuguese descendants to work and study in Portugal
“We are already a country of immigration. We have an aging population, we need manpower, we need our communities, which left a few decades ago, that their children and grandchildren return to Portugal. That is the appeal. that we do, “said Berta Nunes.
The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities was speaking to Lusa agency, this Friday night, at the Consulate General of Portugal in Toronto, on the sidelines of an art exhibition by users with disabilities of the Luso-Canadian Charity Society.
The official highlighted two existing programs, the `Regressar` and the program on the route of the seven percent of studying in higher education.
“We have a seven percent quota in all universities and polytechnic institutes in all courses so that young Portuguese descendants who want to study in Portugal can choose their course and complete it there in Portugal”, he stressed.
Berta Nunes also highlighted the fact that Portugal nowadays “is no longer a country of emigrants”, although the publication continues to be published, but for different reasons.
“They don’t do it for the reasons they did in the 50s and 60s, such as when they emigrated to Canada, to escape poverty and war (overseas). Nowadays, they continue to leave, but they leave because they want to develop international careers, get to know other opportunities and other countries “, he stressed.
The Secretary of State for the Portuguese Communities is on an official visit to Canada, from Tuesday until Sunday, where she has scheduled several meetings with Portuguese leaders, Portuguese-Canadian politicians, visiting several Portuguese consular posts and passing through Winnipeg, Ottawa, Kingston and Toronto.
Despite recognizing that young Portuguese descendants have “many job opportunities” in Canada, a country that also requires labor, they often want to return to Portugal, “either for the quality of life or for the emotional ties”, existing incentive measures.
As an incentive for Portuguese descendants to return to Portugal, Berta Nunes highlighted an existing quality in university and polytechnic education in Portugal, opting for courses that in Canada “may have difficulties”, but there are other attractions.
“In the Return program, if you want to come back and work for a doctor, or to create your own job, you have support for your return, in terms of transport and installation. If you work for someone else, you have a 50% discount on the IRS. If you work on behalf of another person, they have a 50% discount on the IRS. If they want to create their own job, they have support from the Employment and Professional Training Institute, and if they want to create a company, they have a credit line in the Regressar program, which is be renewed to be more cost, which can support investments to create companies or their own employment in Portugal, “he highlighted.
Not Consulate General of Portugal in Toronto Berta Nunes distinguished with the medal of merit of the Portuguese communities, the president of Casa das Beiras in Toronto Linda Correia, the former community councilor João Martins Dias and the executive José Botelho.
The Secretary of State for Communities will today have lunch with the community at the Clube Português de Kitchener, with a visit to the Portuguese community in London, in southern Ontario, on the agenda.
Berta Nunes’ official visit to Canada ends on Sunday, with visits to the Casa do Alentejo in Toronto, the Luso-Canadian Charity Society and the Casa da Madeira in Toronto.
Data from the Canadian census of 2016 reveal that there were 483,610 Portuguese and Portuguese descendants in Canada, that is, 1.4% of the population in the country.
The majority were in Ontario (69%), Quebec (14%) and British Columbia (8%).