Emigration of the

Portuguese people

The enduring presence of such an important community makes it an important factor of unity between the two peoples and a privileged partner in bilateral relations.

The Portuguese community in France is the most numerous of the Portuguese communities in Europe. Currently 580,240 Portuguese people are living in France.

In 1950 are estimated only 314 emigrants. Four years later 747 and in 1965 there were about 1,336 Portuguese people in France. In 1968 there were 6,264 people. From here then the numbers soar. In 1970 this amounts to the record value: 135,667 individuals in one year.

The specialist of Portuguese emigration to France pointed out that the Portuguese community has historically been regarded as "the most invisible in France”, although "between 1962 and 1975 numbers raised from fifty thousand people to almost a million“, being the largest emigrant association movement of France in 1980.

The image of the Portuguese "good worker" still lingers in France , having its origin in the 1960s and 1970s when they had to struggle for his place in the French labor market.

The Portuguese community in France is still seen as "invisible and silent“, said Albano Lamb sociologist in a colloquium on the Lusophone Migration taking place at the University Paris Diderot, in the French capital .

While interviewing a relative of a student from this class, he said he would rather live in France due to economic conditions. In addition to receiving a higher salary, the State also offers some benefits (RSA, Complément de libre choix d' activité - Paje, basic Allocation) and provides different assistance programmes. Nevertheless, he said that living in Portugal is better because Portuguese people are more welcoming .

“La Cage Dorée” It´s a film that illustrates very well the feelings of emigrant Portuguese people, mainly in France.

• The ever-busy but always friendly Maria (Rita Blanco) works as a concierge at a chic Parisian building, where the Ribeiros live in a small apartment on the ground floor. Her husband, José (Joaquim De Almeida), is a respected construction foreman. Their adult daughter, Paula (Barbara Cabrita), and teenage son, Pedro (Alex Alves Pereira), both still live at home.

• Maria’s sister, Lourdes (Jacqueline Corado), dreams of opening a Portuguese restaurant with Maria, who goes along with the plans simply to humor her younger sister.

• Things start to go comically when an unexpected inheritance would make it possible for the Ribeiros to return to Portugal and live comfortably in a beautiful family home.

• Maria’s sister, Lourdes (Jacqueline Corado), dreams of opening a Portuguese restaurant with Maria, who goes along with the plans simply to humor her younger sister.

• Things start to go comically when an unexpected inheritance would make it possible for the Ribeiros to return to Portugal and live

comfortably in a beautiful family home.

Portuguese people around the world

THE END

Authors:12º C Curso Profissional de Técnico de Turismo April 2015