Manuel de Almeida / Lusa
Most Pakistani leave Portugal from other European countries after obtaining nationality due to low wages.
The president of the Association of Pakistani Gazanfar Javid expats said on Wednesday that his countrymen “They are not in Portugal because of low wages”.
Most, “after gaining Portuguese nationality, prefers to go to countries such as Spain, Germany or the United Kingdom,” because “salaries are higher”, even if “more problems of integration” are in these countries.
In Portugal, “the Pakistani prefer to do small businesses” while “waiting for nationality” that allows them to travel and work in Europe, he explained, speaking at a round table called ‘challenges for the integration of the Pakistani community in Portugal’.
Present in the debate, organized by the Observatory of the Islamic World, another associative leader, Weather in Serraraz Francescosubscribed to the comment, considering that “Portugal is just a point of passage” in its migratory process.
But this phenomenon does not seem to be bound only to the Pakistani, but most non -European immigrants entering Portugal.
Gazanfar Javid defended need to reinforce integration of its compatriots in the country, proposing the construction of a community headquarters and a greater bet in teaching Portuguese.
“We have to make the effort to speak Portuguese and to be part of the Portuguese society”, to counteract the “exit trend” of the country’s Pakistani, said Gazanfar Javid.
For the associative leader, the Pakistani who are in Portugal must “do the effort to integrate, have children in Portuguese schools ” so that “this desire to emigrate is not that great.”
Javid pointed out that Only one minority ends up in Portugalbecause of the bonds that are created.
According to the migration and asylum report of 2023, released in 2024, the Portuguese authorities register 17,148 Pakistani In Portugal, with 6,869 residence authorizations granted this year.
However, the Pakistan authorities estimate at 30 thousand The total nationals of their country in Portugal, with many still awaiting the regularization of their process.
This number has increased a lot in recent years, through the use of a legal instrument that allowed a foreigner to start the regularization process as an immigrant as long as he had 12 months of discounts, even if he had entered a tourist visa.
In June last year, the Portuguese government revoked this appeal and now any start of labor process has to be requested at the Portuguese embassy in the country of origin, which is not always easy due to lack of human resources in Portuguese diplomacy.
Pakistan satisfied with immigrant entry model in Portugal
The Pakistan embassy was demarcated on Wednesday from any connection of immigrants to insecurity issues and said the entry system continues to function normally under new rules.
Speaking to journalists, under the round table “Challenges for the integration of the Pakistani community in Portugal”, number 2 of the Pakistani embassy, Malik Umair Khanstated that his compatriots “are not involved in any crime and are active part of the local community.
“We have Pakistanis who have lived in Portugal for a long time” and, “In recent times, we have seen many more than They are a functional part of the community Portuguese ”, said the secretary of the embassy and responsible of the chancel.
As for complaints regarding racism or discrimination, the diplomat admitted that “sometimes there may not be good experiences,” but “cannot be generalized to all Portuguese.”
“It is the prerogative of the government to define its laws,” in particular as regards immigration, said the diplomat, commenting on the end of demonstrations of interest.
“People were using demonstrations of interest. If it is not in force now, they are not using it, ”he said, admitting that the Portuguese embassy had a problem to respond to demand.
Cristina CasasDirector of the Agency’s Migrant Integration Department for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), said, in turn, that the institution is “working to ensure better conditions” for immigrants and listed some of the institution’s main projects .
Confronted with complaints related to delays in processes From regularization, Cristina Casas admitted problems and that “there is a delay in answers.”
“We are aware of the problems and concerned with solving them,” he said, admitting that the merger of the High Commissioner for the migrations and the service of foreigners and borders, which gave rise to October 29, 2023 to AIMA, was a “something something time consuming and the house is reorganizing. ”
“We are very committed to integration on the one hand and regularization on the other,” he said, highlighting AIMA’s effort to promote Portuguese language teaching.
“We have felt many problems in public services with the language issue” and, Knowing Portuguese, “also facilitates professional integration”He added.
