The Government is “concerned” about the recruitment of Mozambican workers for Portugal through unofficial channels, and is seeking to map workers in that country to ensure their rights, including social security.
“Our main concern is indeed related to these direct hires, and they need to occur based on a memorandum or after verifying the conditions, because the worker must understand what it means to work in Portugal and what they will encounter,” said Alice Brito, National Director of Migrant Labor.
Brito made the statements on Friday, November 7, in Maputo, during the seminar on “Dissemination of Labor Legislation to Companies with Portuguese Investment in Mozambique.” She explained that measures are being designed to curb direct hiring of workers to Portugal and to create conditions for recruitment through official channels or mechanisms.
The Government advocates that recruitment be done through employment centers, including contact with the National Directorate of Migrant Labor to verify the suitability of the potential employer and the employment contract. The goal is to ensure workers’ rights, including social security contributions.
Portugal recently approved a new Foreigners’ Law, which limits visas for job-seeking, restricts the possibility of family reunification for immigrants with residence permits in Portugal, and modifies conditions for granting residence permits to citizens of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the meeting, Portugal’s ambassador to Mozambique, Jorge Monteiro, said that the ongoing legislative changes, including on mobility, aim to provide protection to foreign workers in the country.
“We will continue to maintain a special regime for CPLP citizens, with simplified procedures to allow them to work in Portugal and have a more stable long-term presence. I believe this should be understood only as a necessary measure in response to the significant increase in demand for foreign labor, and in no way aims to limit or impose artificial restrictions,” he said.
Source: Diário Económico
