Indian entrepreneur gives SIC his reading of legal changes
An Indian businessman who goes by the name of Franky has given SIC Notícias his reading of the government’s ‘get tough stance’ with immigrants, over 700,000 of which (minimum) are still awaiting ‘regularisation’ in this country.
The observation comes as Expresso reports that President Marcelo is certain to put a brake on the ‘law’ approved in parliament earlier this week.
Franky’s warning is that further obstacles in gaining residency/ nationality will absolutely put immigrants off coming to Portugal (as is the general idea). But the country needs immigrants – albeit not in the numbers that have been arriving – and with the ‘new law’ approved, even those (fewer) immigrants may end up taking one look at Portugal, and choosing a different destination entirely.
Franky explains: “I don’t think anyone will come in to Portugal, because Spain also has the 10-years (stipulation for residency; Portugal’s is currently only five, but the new law doubles that) but in Spain you earn double…”
In other words, what will be the point, if the law reaches the Statute Books, of trying to become legalised in Portugal, if it takes as long, and is as difficult, as in countries where the standards of living/ levels of earning are higher?
“We are not going to feel this now”, Franky admits. But it will start coming clear “in three or four years, in civil construction, in textiles”, he suggests.
Admittedly, this is just one opinion of a young man who has made his life in Portugal, in spite of the fact that it took him eight years to finally secure Portuguese nationality. Franky has his own restaurant in Lisbon, and clearly is well integrated.
SIC’s report refers to the fact that almost ¾ of a million foreigners are still waiting for regularisation of their legal status in this country – and 40,000 have been notified to leave. This is a number far in excess of what was given initially by the government, and has already been explained as something exceptionally difficult to ensure.
Which leads into Expresso’s article today, entitled “President of Republic inclined to block new Foreigners Law”.
The paper explains that “there is an elevated probability” that Marcelo will be sending the various changes approved in parliament to the Constitutional Court. Indeed, it is almost a certainty, as if he doesn’t, “the PS (Socialists) will join the rest of the left to request analysis of the law”. LIVRE and Bloco de Esquerda have already requested meetings with the president, with a view to asking him to veto the legislation.
Thus all in all, it may have been approved in parliament, but there still looks like some way to go before any legal changes come into effect.
In the meantime, the ‘stampede’ in the direction of registrars’ offices continues.
Source material: SIC Notícias/ Expresso
