Portugal offers migrants monthly stipend for tourism training
Participants, who must have regular immigration status in Portugal, will receive a €522.5 monthly stipend during the training period.
What?
The Portuguese Government has launched a new initiative to train immigrants for careers in tourism, a key sector that accounts for over 15% of the country’s GDP.
Starting Thursday, December 19, applications will open for 1,000 slots in the first phase of the program, which aims to address labor shortages while promoting immigrant integration.
Participants, who must have regular immigration status in Portugal, will receive a €522.5 monthly stipend during the training period.
Additional support for food, transportation, and housing will also be provided if necessary. The government has allocated €2.5 million to the program, which will run until the end of 2025.
Boosting Skills and Integration
The training program, titled Integrar para o Turismo (Integrate for Tourism), combines technical skills development with Portuguese language and cultural instruction.
It is designed to help immigrants secure stable employment in tourism, a sector that plays a dual role in bolstering the economy and fostering social inclusion.
“It is essential to ensure that immigrants have access to effective employment, training opportunities, and decent housing,” said Rui Armindo Freitas, Secretary of State Adjunct to the Prime Minister. He emphasized that tourism serves as a powerful tool for integration.
Portugal’s tourism industry is grappling with a severe labor shortage, particularly in the Algarve. Employers estimate that more than 50,000 positions remain unfilled.
Currently, 80% of foreign workers in the tourism sector are Brazilian, highlighting the industry's reliance on immigrant labor.
Implementation and Partnerships
The program will be managed in partnership with employment centers, the Immigrant Professional Integration Offices (Rede GIP), and municipalities.
These entities will help identify eligible candidates and facilitate connections with local training services. The training will be conducted by Portugal’s network of hospitality and tourism schools, with companies in the hospitality and restaurant sectors expected to finance internships for participants.
The first phase of the program officially began with the signing of a protocol involving Turismo de Portugal, the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA), and the Portuguese Tourism Confederation.
The training itself will start in February 2024 and continue through 2025.