PORTUGAL | Immigration

Safety and quality of life continue to attract Brazilians to Portugal

By Luis Aparicio Brazilians are the main foreign community in Portugal, accounting for 105,423 citizens.

More and more Brazilians are seeking a better quality of life in Portugal. The group, made up of people from all walks of life and profiles, includes more individuals with a high level of professional qualification and university students. There is still a large number of retirees who have been choosing Portugal for its security and stability.

Henrique and Tayana are happy in Viseu.

Choosing the visa

Henrique Uchôa and Tayana Oliveira planned their departure from Brazil well in advance, but Portugal was not the destination of choice for their first immigration experience.

“My dream was the United States because I had already been to Florida on business a couple of times. But when we did some serious research - living legally in the United States would be quite complicated. It wouldn’t be worth it,” says Henrique.

An in-depth research led the couple to the D7 visa, which is a residence visa for retirees or holders of income (D7) who wish to live in Portugal.

“When we arrived in August 2018, we found Viseu to be a very well-developed city,” says Tayana, who found work in a factory in Vouzela, 30 km from Viseu.

Their YouTube channel, “Cabeludo em Portugal”, with more than 10,000 subscribers, has put Viseu on the Brazilian path.

CASA DO BRASIL ASSOCIATION IN VISEU

To promote inclusiveness of Brazilian immigrants in Portugal, Casa do Brasil Association was founded in Viseu in October of last year. The idea came from a group of Brazilians, led by Carlos Henrique Uchoa Borges, the entity’s current president. According to the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), the district of Viseu is very popular among foreigners who decide to live in Portugal. There are 67 nationalities among which the Brazilian community is the most representative. The district of Viseu consists of 24 municipalities, including Viseu itself, Lamego, and Vila de Resende.

professionally. He would consider moving elsewhere in the world should a good job opportunity arise.

Despite the many good experiences they have had in Viseu since their arrival in November 2018, William and Beatriz still feel that current nationals are not prepared to welcome a high volume of immigrants or to share information on different subjects. They still have trouble finding a family doctor or property.

The Duarte couple faced some struggles while trying to adapt to the lifestyle in Portugal

Having trouble adapting

William Duarte and Beatriz Duarte planned to move abroad in advance. “We thought about immigrating to Canada because it is a country that welcomes many immigrants,” explains Beatriz. However, there were determining factors in choosing Portugal such as knowing the language, the reduced number of documents required and the low cost of living. Beatriz enrolled in a degree in Tourism at the Viseu Polytechnic Institute (IPV). William requested family reunification, which is a right granted to a citizen who has a residence permit. Primarily a truck driver, he chose to work in Viseu as a crane operator. He admits that it took him a while to adapt to the Portuguese lifestyle and that he faced some payment-related issues. William acknowledges that he feels a bit limited

STATISTICS

According to the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) 2018 report, Brazilians are still the main community of foreign residents with 105,423 citizens, representing over one fifth of the total. In 2018, there was a 23.4% increase compared to 2017 – the highest percentage since 2012.