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Around 30% of those born in Portugal aged between 15 and 39 decided to emigrate. According to figures from the Emigration Observatory and reported by Expresso, this percentage corresponds to more than 850,000 people.
Rui Pena Pires, the scientific coordinator of the Emigration Observatory, notes that this number is “very high” and has a “very complicated effect on fertility”. Births of children to Portuguese mothers abroad “already amount to around 20% of total births in Portugal”, he revealed.
Portugal is the country with the highest emigration rate in Europe and one of the highest in the world. The peak of emigration occurred between 2010 and 2019. In total, there are around 2.3 million Portuguese people living abroad, of which 70% are between 15 and 39 years old.
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The question remains as to why 70% choose to remain in this country with all its fragilities and systematic social issues.
By Diogo F. from Lisbon on 12 Jan 2024, 19:36
Couldn't afford a ticket out? ~8o
By DRS from Lisbon on 12 Jan 2024, 22:07
I am one of them. But I've returned with my two children after 17 years abroad and started a business here. The main challenge is the government itself: suffocating government over-regulation and bureaucracy restricting private initiative and the public sector monopoly undermining public services quality.
By André from Alentejo on 13 Jan 2024, 09:35
It's no surprise since there is very little job security added by the fact that our minimum wage doesn't even cover the minimum standards for living with dignity.
By MIGUEL MELO from Lisbon on 13 Jan 2024, 11:33
Yes, this is a problem which will greatly change the demographics of the Portuguese population. And the article fails to mention the elephant in the room, which is the tax base. As the Portuguese leave, the tax base will continue to drop. The government, in it's infinite (and unwise) wisdom, will increase taxes, which will stimulate more Portuguese to leave. Yes, there is immigration into Portugal, but the majority of the immigrants are low income earners, which doesn't improve the tax base problem. The mission, should they be willing to accept it, should be to decrease regulation, decrease bureaucracy, and decrease taxes for the lower income earners. Of course they (the government) will argue that they can not give up their tax base. I subscribe to the theory that if you put more money into the hands of the people, they will likely spend it, thereby helping the internal economy grow, and with this growth, the tax collected also increases, to offset the lower tax rate. And, the Portuguese will stay in Portugal, which is the desired consequence!
By Dirk Driedger from Lisbon on 13 Jan 2024, 12:46
The 30% are probably the better educated people.
The Portuguese education system is too poor to compete
with other European nations for highly qualified jobs.
By Nick from Lisbon on 14 Jan 2024, 11:31
The level of unnecessary beaurocracy and time wasting to visit official offices has not reduced over the years in Portugal. It is a great dis-incentive to starting a business. No wonder so many young people emigrate. Successive governments have done nothing to reduce the size of the state beaurocracy in all its forms
By Geoffrey Ryder from UK on 15 Jan 2024, 11:46
I have seen the exact same thing while living in Croatia, its the medical students leaving, lawyers but also other professions who can just make more abroad. What they for though is that living standards and the costs for it are much higher than in Portugal or Croatia. Only those who can save a lot, have no kids, can return home and live comfortably, all others must go with the local flow, and just earn a bit better but not a lot.
By Jacques De la Haye from Other on 15 Jan 2024, 13:38