Once Pakistanis get Portuguese nationality they prefer ‘other European countries’
The majority of Pakistanis leave Portugal for other European countries after obtaining Portuguese nationality, the president of the Association of Expatriate Pakistanis has said today.
This is nothing ‘new’ – and almost certainly applies to other nationalities from the Indian sub-continent.
Speaking at a round table event, entitled ‘Challenges for the Integration of the Pakistani Community in Portugal’, Gazanfar Javid said there is a need to strengthen integration, through greater commitment to teaching Portuguese, and possibly the construction of a Pakistani community centre.
“We have to make an effort to speak Portuguese and be part of Portuguese society,” to counteract the “trend of Pakistanis leaving”, he agreed.
“Our people do not stay in Portugal, because of the low salaries,” and “only a minority end up staying because of bonds that are created,” he added.
The majority, “after obtaining Portuguese nationality, prefer to go to countries like Spain, Germany or the United Kingdom”, because the “salaries are better”, even though “there are (even) more integration problems” in those countries.
In Portugal, “Pakistanis prefer to run small businesses” while they “wait to get the nationality” that will allow them to travel and work in Europe.
Present at the debate, organised by the Observatory of the Islamic World, Serfraz Francis, another association leader, endorsed the comment, considering that “Portugal is just a transit point” in the migratory process.
According to the 2023 Migration and Asylum Report, released in 2024, Portuguese authorities have 17,148 Pakistanis registered in Portugal – with 6,869 residence permits granted this year.
Pakistani authorities estimate however that there are actually more like 30,000 Pakistani nationals in Portugal, “with many still waiting for their cases to be regularised”.
Source material: LUSA
