Portugal: Emigrate to Angola, jobless are told
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Portugal's unemployment is almost 15 per cent, VAT at 23 per cent has kicked in, and its bailed-out economy stutters along ever more painfully. But a solution, of sorts, is at hand for the country's beleaguered population: emigrate to Portugal's former colony of Angola.
When Angola declared independence in 1975, hundreds of thousands of Portuguese in the south-west African country returned to Europe, including Pedro Passos Coelho, the current Prime Minister. Now the tide of emigration has reversed, to the point where an estimated 20,000 Portuguese are taking the seven-hour flight to Angola every year. Even Mr Passos Coelho recommended that jobless teachers should "try Angola... where there's a huge demand for school educators".
Angola's numerous attractions include a shared language and an economy that has grown at around 10 per cent a year for the last decade. And, with illiteracy rates running at 40 per cent after after a prolonged civil war, there is a desperate need for all kinds of professionals. Media reports have mentioned salaries of up to €10,000 (£8,000) a month in the pharmaceutical industry.
Anglola's embassy in Lisbon cannot cope with the number of people applying for visas. But neither a lengthy application process, nor the long-haul flight, nor reports of street crime and extortionate food and rent prices in Angola's capital, Luanda, seem able to put off the Portuguese for now: a sign, perhaps, of what they are trying to escape.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments