In a statement the regional executive (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) highlights that the courses are financed by the Regional Directorate for Communities, certified by the Regional Directorate for Education and Educational Administration and organised by the Migrant Support Office of the CRESAÇOR Cooperative and the Association of Immigrants in the Azores (AIPA).

"CRESAÇOR started its two courses on September 4th, in Ponta Delgada, in the work and post-work regimes, while AIPA started one course on the 6th, in Angra do Heroísmo, and starts the other on September 11th, in Madalena do Pico".

The courses last until December, lasting 150 hours, and allow participants to acquire a legal residence permit in the Autonomous Region of the Azores in relation to the Portuguese language requirement.

According to the source, the four courses "cover 71 graduates from 24 different nationalities, 22 from the United States of America, 11 from Italy, six from Germany, four from France, three from China, three from Colombia, two from Canada, two from Cuba, two from Algeria, two from Poland and two from Russia".

"The other countries represented with a single graduate are the Netherlands, India, Slovenia, Guinea, Israel, Austria, Czech Republic, Spain, Norway, Ukraine, Indonesia and Senegal", he added.

The note also states that, in the two courses on the island of São Miguel, "there are 22 women and 18 men, aged between 25 and 77 years old, with 22 having higher education and 18 having secondary or professional education, finding 22 employed, eight unemployed, nine retired and one studying".

On the island of Terceira, 11 women and six men signed up, aged between 23 and 73, three with secondary education and 14 with higher education, seven of whom were employed, seven retired, two unemployed and one student.