Brazilian Migration to : Trends, Integration and Effects

Daniel Madeira Caetano Teixeira

Autumn Semester

2019/2020

Abstract

Brazil and Portugal are countries that have been connected through centuries. Recent movements to Portugal are increasing and becoming a theme of debate. Throughout the last century, Brazilian to Portugal has been continuously shifting, in variables as numerical expressiveness, level of qualification, type of labor insertion and its levels of feminization have. This article aims to identify the main features of the history between the nations, describe the new migratory wave and analyze how this recent flow of immigration has been positive for the Portuguese economy. Nowadays, are the foreigners who invest the most in Portugal, predominantly in the real estate market and in the opening of new ventures. In fact, the expansion of the real estate market and other attractions are attracting a growing number of high-income Brazilians, who are looking for quality of life and security, but who also see the possibility of doing good business.

Key words: Brazilians, wave, SEF, colonies, crisis, real estate.

Brazilian Migration to Portugal: Trends, Integration and Effects / Daniel Teixeira

Introduction

Migratory movements, especially in Portugal, are shaped by a multiplicity of factors that must be combined with what happens in several other regions of the world, particularly in those where the Portuguese were present both as colonizers and as emigrants. Portugal's accession to the then European Economic Community (EEC) inaugurated a new stage that meant major changes in both migratory movements and in the country's migratory policies. From 1986 onwards, Portugal became a more politically and economically attractive country for immigrants, especially after the signing of the Schengen Convention by creating a European circulation area and a European citizenship. Until the end of the eighties immigrants in Portugal were almost exclusively nationals of their former colonies. But Portugal's accession to the EEC in 1986 led to increased demand from Portugal for nationals of , and Central and Eastern European countries. In the 1990s, Portugal had positive migratory balances, the country began to receive more immigrants than grantees, a situation that continued until 2011. The recent wave of Brazilians it composed by community that comes, not only to work and send remittances to Brazil, as it did in the past. But a population that wants to contribute to Portugal, that wants to work, bring and develop its knowledge, apply its profession here and also invest. In contrast to previous generations, what characterizes the most recent wave is the fact that they are migrants who also arrive for banking, real estate, more qualified tourism opening hotels or hostels, liberal or creative professions. The following paper develops the recent history of foreign migration to Portugal, describing three different movements that led to the present situation regarding this subject, with a focus on the consequences for Brazilian foreign. There will be made an analysis on the recent impact of economical crisis. Finally, it will be made an analysis on the most recent relation between the two countries and a description on the factors, trends and effects of the recent Brazilian wave of migrants to Portugal.

Brazilian Migration to Portugal: Trends, Integration and Effects / Daniel Teixeira

Recent Migration in Portugal

A visible immigrant population with a significant number of immigrants is a recent phenomenon in Portugal. The country has a short experience with significant flows of immigrants. In its brief history of immigration, it is possible to discern three main and distinct phases in migratory movements. Portugal was essentially a country of emigration until the 1960s and recorded a negative migratory balance as a result of the departure of national citizens to Europe and the Portuguese colonies. In fact, until the mid-1970s, the number of foreigners residing in Portugal was approximately thirty thousand and the majority were either Spanish nationals or descendants of Portuguese emigrants (BORREGO, 2015). On April 25, 1974, Rádio Renascença, a Portuguese Catholic broadcaster, transmitted the song Grândola, Vila Morena, by the composer José Afonso. The song was the expected sign for young soldiers of the Armed Forces Movement (MFA) to start the , an uprising that overthrew one of the longest dictatorships of the 20th century and was the ignitor for future migration flows (CARRIJO, 2019). The first movements (1974 to 1985) can be attributed to decolonization and the consequent change in the nationality law that brought about the first significant community of immigrants in the country. After the independence of the Portuguese colonies in , approximately half a million Portuguese nationals returned to Portugal. The first immigrant communities with some numerical significance were thus formed in a retroactive manner, communities that, due to the process of family reunification and the formation of new families, registered an uninterrupted growth in the following years. With the entry of Portugal into the European Economic Community (EEC) which, within the framework of the structural cohesion funds, promoted the transfer of large amounts of money to Portugal, a new phase in migratory movements to Portugal began (1986 to 2000), which reflects in its composition the economic growth of the country and the development model that was followed. During this period the country registered a significant growth of immigrants from Brazil, Europe and North America who performed relevant functions for the development of the country in the most qualified segments of the national labor market. Despite the growth the number of immigrants in Portugal remained relatively low until the turn of the millennium. At the time of joining the EEC, Portugal needed both skilled and unskilled labor, due to the poor Portuguese education

Brazilian Migration to Portugal: Trends, Integration and Effects / Daniel Teixeira

system and the emigration to northern and central European countries of the least skilled Portuguese. In practice, the arrival of Brazilian professionals at the beginning of 1990 was absorbed in several sectors of the economy (dentists, publicists, marketing and IT specialists), extending to other sectors of lower qualification (PADILLA, 2012). In 1999, 190,896 foreigners with legal residence lived in Portugal, which represented less than 2% of the total resident population. In addition, immigrants from third countries resident in Portugal were mostly from Portuguese-speaking countries (76% in 1999 and 77% in 2000). In other words, until 2000 the presence of immigrants in Portugal was relatively weak and their presence could be attributed essentially to two factors: our colonial past and our historical and cultural relations; and the economic growth of the country, which was largely promoted by public investment and the attraction of foreign investment. One can say that the main characteristic of the immigrant population residing in the country until the turn of the millennium was to present a markedly bipolar profile. On the one hand, a population mostly made up of immigrants from the PALOP countries, inserted in the civil and public works sector and in personal and domestic services in activities with lower qualifications. On the other hand, a population made up of immigrants from Western Europe and Brazil that when economically active, was preferentially part of the tertiary sector and in highly qualified occupations (BAGANHA, 2009). At the turn of the millennium a third phase in the immigration movements began, which responded to the employment opportunities generated in the civil construction and public works sector and in industries linked to tourism, contributed to the formation of a significant immigrant population in the country and to the diversification of the national origins of immigrants. These recent migratory movements affirmed Portugal as a country of immigration and integrated Portugal into the global migratory system in its dual facet of importer and exporter of labor. Although Portugal is part of the Southern European immigration model, it does have some distinctive features. The Southern European model is characterized by the increasing feminization of migratory flows, for having a labor market segmented by ethnic/racial issues, by gender, by age and by educational level. Other characteristics involve the prevalence of the informal economy, the high growth of the services and construction sector and the great diversity of countries of origin, status and socio- economic level of immigrants. Another particularity is the polarized distribution of immigrants in the labor market, where both highly qualified and less qualified immigrants

Brazilian Migration to Portugal: Trends, Integration and Effects / Daniel Teixeira

are included. All this indicates that the face of immigration in Portugal has gradually changed compared to the flows of the 1980s and 1990s (SILVA, 2014).

Brazilian Immigration and Economic Recession

The process of converting Residence Permits into Residence Permits has made it possible to verify the quantitative leap caused by Brazilians. In addition to the titles obtained under the 2001 regularization, they benefited in 2003 from a process only for Brazilians, known as the Lula Agreement. In short, the flow of Brazilians has grown steadily, becoming the most significant foreign nationality since 2007 (BENEVIDES, 2003). The economic crisis, from 2008 onwards, reduced the global inflow of immigrants (with a return to a negative migration balance from 2011) and changed the profile of immigrants in Portugal, with an increase in the inflow of students, investors and highly qualified professionals, entrepreneurs and retired people, while inflows for subordinate activities decreased. Since 2009, with the beginning of the crisis in Portugal, migratory flows started to experience some changes. On the one hand, there was a deceleration and decrease in immigration, which was a reflect in the overall fall of foreign residents, according to data from the SEF. On the other hand, there was a return to the country of origin, especially of Brazilians (PADILLA, 2012). With the department of natives to other countries in search for better conditions, the country was obligated to use politics and regulations that gave rise to processes of legalization, which contributed significantly to the increase in the immigrant population. The legislation on nationality has also been amended several times, establishing who has the right to be Portuguese. All these rules give rise to the Portuguese immigration regime. The main trend over time has been the increase of control over entry into Portugal, legislating on the types of visas and residence permits (PADILLA, 2012). Changes in the legislation governing the acquisition of nationality have a direct impact on the number of foreigners who become Portuguese citizens. As such, the changes adopted in recent decades have gradually facilitated access to Portuguese nationality, which in statistical terms means that those who acquire Portuguese nationality are no longer counted as foreigners. Access to Portuguese nationality also means access

Brazilian Migration to Portugal: Trends, Integration and Effects / Daniel Teixeira

to European citizenship, which facilitates mobility within the . Portugal is currently the country with the highest naturalization rate in the European Union (SILVA, 2014).

Recent Impact of Brazilian Migration

Based on these particularities, it was agreed to divide the Brazilian migratory phenomenon into two vacancies: the first, which runs from the end of the 1970s to the end of the 1990s, formed mainly by qualified professionals who arrived in the country in reduced numbers. The second wave begins in the 2000s and extends until the economic crisis of 2010, when there was a first decrease in these numbers, with the return of many to Brazil. It was quantitatively more expressive, with a trend towards feminization, marked by a precarious labor insertion and maladjusted to the levels of qualification. The period of the Portuguese economic crisis, between 2010 and 2015, coincided with the growth of the Brazilian economy, and emigration to Portugal fell asleep. However, since 2016, Portugal's recovery and the beginning of a political and economic crisis in Brazil have led to a resumption of migratory movements. At the present time, Brazilian immigration has been represented in a more positive way than before, giving selective visibility to successful cases such as investors and middle and upper class families. However, it is neglected that the flows are even more diverse, and that this diversity suggests the beginning of a third wave of Brazilian migration to Portugal (FRANÇA, 2018). For the second consecutive year, 2017 marked the increase in the resident foreign population, with an increase of 6.0% compared to 2016, totaling 421,711 foreign citizens holding residence permits. There was also an increase in the granting of new residence permits, which confirms the resumption of the attractiveness of Portugal as an immigration destination. Therefore, the assessment of the quantitative information should consider all aspects that influence the migratory reality, as well as the following elements that allow for the characterization of the foreign population residing in Portugal for 2017. The trend towards an increase in the number of foreigners residing in Portugal, seen in 2016, continued, totaling 421,711 citizens with a valid residence permit (Graph 1). Brazilian nationality, with a total of 85,426 citizens, remains the main resident foreign community, having increased by 5.1% in relation to 2016, in line with the downward

Brazilian Migration to Portugal: Trends, Integration and Effects / Daniel Teixeira

trend in the number of residents of this nationality that had been observed since 2011 (SEF, 2017). An important factor for this increase comes with regard to the granting of the Statute of Equal Rights and Duties under the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Consultation between the Portuguese Republic and the Federal Republic of Brazil. 1,736 equality statutes were issued, of which 1,701 correspond to requests for equal rights and duties, and 35 to requests for equal political rights. In the year under review, there was a very significant increase in the number of citizens who requested equality statutes, confirming the upward trend seen in 2016 (Graph 2). In this context, it is also important to stress that this increase cannot be dissociated from the movement of students of Brazilian nationality to Portugal to attend higher education institutions, seeking to benefit from the reduction of tuition fees, on an equal basis with Portuguese students, by obtaining the Equality Examination Certificate. The Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF) is responsible of the attribution and acquisition of Portuguese nationality. In 2017, it is important to note that the organization issued 28,673 opinions (27,362 positive and 1,311 negative), with the most represented nations being Brazil (10,805). Curiously, in relation to the acquisition of nationality through the effect of will (marriage, for example), Brazil is highlighted as the main reference in applications submitted with 2,378 applications (SEF, 2017). Thus, more recently, the intensification of student mobility, the increase in applications for residence permits for investment activities and the re-emigration or return of those who had returned to Brazil during austerity resulting from the Portuguese economic crisis and due to the boom of the Brazilian economy were identified as patterns of the new wave of Brazilians migrants (FRANÇA, 2018). The president of Casa do Brasil, Cíntia de Paulo, said that in the last year, a new wave of Brazilian immigrants to Portugal had begun, which was accentuated in late 2018 and early this year. "I would venture to say that last year, there was a very representative arrival" of Brazilian immigrants in Portugal, said the president of the non-profit association, which supports these people. She said that "it's a new wave, very different from the others, with a cluster of profiles" and that it came to stay. Since the political controversies in the country, there is disbelief in the Brazilian population that is closely linked to economic issues, such as unemployment, which grew with time. The uncertainty about what Brazil will be become in the next years brings a concern for a better quality of life, better job opportunities, but above all for safety.

Brazilian Migration to Portugal: Trends, Integration and Effects / Daniel Teixeira

This new wave is made up of several groups, from people with less professional qualifications, to a greater number of people with more qualifications, many university students, who had already been arriving since 2009. But there is also the introduction of a new community, that of pensioners, those with their own incomes in Brazil and the possibility of now having a visa for retirees in Portugal. People who worked for many years in Brazil and contributed to Social Security but now live, work and contribute to Social Security in Portugal, do not have to start counting again to retire in Portuguese lands (or vice versa). They can transfer the years of contribution in the Latin country to Portugal. This is possible thanks to the bilateral social security agreement between Brazil and Portugal (OBSERVADOR, 2019). Brazilian investors are arriving and financing the market. The French led real estate purchases in Portugal in 2017, accounting for 29% of real estate investment by foreigners, according to the Association of Real Estate Professionals and Companies of Portugal. Brazilians came in second, with a share of 19% of total foreign investment (APEMIP, 2017).

Brazilian Migration to Portugal: Trends, Integration and Effects / Daniel Teixeira

Conclusion

Brazil's independence was declared in 1822 and this event is directly related to events that began in 1808, the year in which the Portuguese royal family, fleeing the French troops that invaded Portugal, moved to Brazil. The arrival of the royal family in Brazil caused a series of changes that contributed to the commercial and economic development and, ultimately, enabled the independence of Brazil (SILVA, 2018). Five centuries later the context has drastically changed. As Brazil's Foreign Minister described, relations between his country and Portugal as "calm and positive". In a joint press conference held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Lisbon, Aloysio Ferreira said that “there is no point of irritation or conflict between us, on the contrary, our understanding of bilateral relations is traced in programs, projects, investments, trade and much cultural proximity, collaboration in the field of science, technology and innovation" (DN, 2018). The analysis of the evolution of the foreign population in Portugal implies the consideration of several aspects, namely the legislative evolution in recent years and respective impacts on the number of legal residents, the fact that Portugal is a country with a mixed regime of migrations as it simultaneously receives and emits migrants, the historical and cultural relations with other countries, the impacts of the operationalization of immigration policies, as well as the economic and social contexts of Portugal and countries of origin. It is not difficult to understand the recent phenomenon of the emigration of Brazilians to Portugal. Factors as language, historical and cultural backgrounds, a search for democratic tranquility, insecurity and violence on the sending country, the frequency of theft, fraud and corruption, unemployment, the economic crisis. However, it is accepted and seen through the data provided from multiple sources that Brazilians migrants have been a key part on the development of the Portuguese economy through different periods of time. It is also expected that this trend will continue in the next years due to the high investments that have been made recently.

Brazilian Migration to Portugal: Trends, Integration and Effects / Daniel Teixeira

Reference List

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Brazilian Migration to Portugal: Trends, Integration and Effects / Daniel Teixeira

Relatório de Imigração, Fronteiras e Asilo (2017), Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras. Retrieved from: https://sefstat.sef.pt/Docs/Rifa2017.pdf Relações entre Portugal e Brasil são absolutamente tranquilas e positivas. Diário de Notícias. 10 of Octobre, 2018. Retrieved from: https://www.dn.pt/lusa/interior/relacoes-entre-portugal-e-brasil-sao-absolutamente- tranquilas-e-positivas---mne-brasileiro--9980353.html SILVA, Daniel Neves. "Independência do Brasil". Brasil Escola. Retrieved from: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiab/independencia-brasil.htm. SILVA, Luísa (2014), Síntese da História das Migrações Recentes em Portugal, Associação Solidariedade Internacional. Retrieved from: https://www.encyclopedia-of- migrants.eu/wp-content/uploads/S%C3%ADntese-da-história-das-migrações-recentes- em-Portugal.pdf

Brazilian Migration to Portugal: Trends, Integration and Effects / Daniel Teixeira

Appendix

Graph 1 - Numerical Representation of Foreigns, by country of origin. From Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras

Graph 2 - Equality Statutes Issued. From Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras

Brazilian Migration to Portugal: Trends, Integration and Effects / Daniel Teixeira