The Secretaries of State for Labor and Sport said today in Braga that Portugal has “wide open doors” for young emigrants and Lusodescendants who want to “make a life” in the country.
Speaking at the opening of the 10th edition of the European Meeting of Young Lusodescendants, Miguel Fontes, Secretary of State for Labor, and João Paulo Correia (Sport), stressed that the fixation of talent is a priority of the Government and that Portugal “is today a competitive country”, capable of attracting qualified young people.
“The doors are wide open to anyone who wants to make a life in Portugal,” said the Secretary of State for Employment.
Miguel Fontes highlighted, first of all, the “Return” program, under which about 19,500 Portuguese who were abroad have already returned to their country of origin.
He recalled that the program entails “a highly favorable tax regime” for the first five years after return.
“Portugal is big enough and needs everyone,” he stressed.
He also referred to the commitment to decent work and the fight against precariousness, as well as better wages and a better distribution of wealth, as essential conditions for attracting young talent.
In the same vein, the Secretary of State for Youth and Sport, João Paulo Correia, put the emphasis on Portugal’s economic growth, “with more jobs and growing wages”, along with “a safe country with a future, with solid foundations in what is the construction of its economy”.
“Portugal is seen from an international point of view as a growing economy, one of the fastest growing in Europe, where the average wage also grows. In fact, in May, the average salary grew above inflation, which means that there was a real gain in purchasing power. This is also the vision that the world and Europe and international economies have about our country”, he said.
João Paulo Correia also highlighted Portugal’s commitment to the so-called “digital nomads”.
The 10th edition of the European Lusodescendant Youth Meeting runs until August 13, bringing together 54 young people and youth workers from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Sweden.
It is a flagship event that promotes employability, inclusion and Lusophone culture among young people.
The theme of the meeting is “Employability in Europe: Digital at the Service of Ecology and Youth Inclusion”.
