One of the largest diasporas in the world

Considered a people of travellers, Portugal has seen its children leave for various reasons: political or socio-economic. Today, one in five Portuguese lives abroad, making Portugal the European country with the highest proportion of people who have left the country.

In addition to the country's 10 million inhabitants, there are nearly 72 million first-generation descendants in the world. The three countries with the largest Portuguese communities in the world are Brazil, the  United States and France^(1).

Of the 5 million Portuguese expatriates in Europe, about 2.6 million live in France, representing the third largest foreign community in France. The diaspora is also strong in Switzerland (420,000 people) and Luxembourg (100,000 people). where they constitute 15% of the foreign population . Across the Atlantic, Canada has nearly 450,000 Canadians of Portuguese origin (2021 census), concentrated in Ontario and Quebec, with major hubs in Toronto and Montreal^(1). 

Why did they leave?

Until 1974, Portugal was a colonial dictatorship. Economic hardship, oppression and wars in Africa pushed 1.5 million Portuguese to emigrate, often illegally. After the Carnation Revolution, emigration slowed down... before starting again in the 1980s, with the economic crisis and the search for professional opportunities, particularly in Switzerland^(2). 

Then came the global crisis of 2008, which hit the country hard: unemployment doubled to over 16% in 2013. Between 2008 and 2013, 400,000 Portuguese left the country, many of them graduates. At the peak, nearly 120,000 departures per year, or 1% of the population ⁽¹⁾!

Today, this dynamic seems to be partially reversed. Many of the second and third generations of Portuguese origin and expatriates are considering a return to Portugal, attracted by the newfound stability and a more attractive job market. 

Returning to the country: a growing trend

Every year, more than 20,000 Portuguese leave the country... but they might as well come back! According to a survey by the Portuguese civic association SEDES^(3), 70% of expatriates want to return in the medium or long term and 73% plan to invest in their country of origin. The Regressar programme, launched in 2019, has already attracted 30,000 emigrants thanks to tax and financial bonuses: tax exemptions under certain deadlines and conditions, aid for business creation, support for returning to rural areas.

But for the descendants of this diaspora, returning to Portugal is not only an economic choice, it is an identity and emotional project. Many want to reconnect with their origins, return to their family home, or enjoy a living environment that combines mild climate, security and a more affordable cost of living than in major European cities. With the rise of teleworking, this desire is becoming a reality for a generation that dreams of combining quality of life and cultural proximity^(4). 

Why does Portugal appeal to French speakers?

Beyond cultural ties, several factors strengthen Portugal's attractiveness: mild climate, high quality of life, competitive cost of living and advantageous taxation for foreigners.

Francophones, in particular, benefit from easier integration: the French language is present in schools, institutions and companies, and a strong community is already established. All these elements encourage installation or investment.

In this context, the real estate mediator Unyk-Place stands out. It offers personalized support to expatriates wishing to settle, invest or sell in Portugal. With its local expertise and knowledge of the specificities of the Portuguese real estate market, the agency, which has bilingual nationals, guides its clients at every stage of their project, from the first appointment to understand the life project, to the search for the property, to the finalization of the purchase with legal and logistical support throughout the process. Indeed, the agency provides its network of trusted partners: mortgage brokers , multilingual lawyers, architects and tax advisors.

Whether it is for a main residence, a holiday home or a rental investment, Unyk-Place offers a selection of properties adapted to the needs and expectations of expatriates. Unyk-Place belongs to the same group as the real estate developer BMRI (with more than 15 years of existence). This allows him to benefit from the experience of the very demanding process of real estate construction in Portugal, especially in the Algarve. Or to assist land owners in the realization of construction projects on the coast of Portugal.

Get in touch with our team of advisors to talk about your real estate project in Portugal:  info@unyk-place.com 

(1) INSEE – Population born in Portugal in France (2023), France in Portugal – Demographic data, Statistics Canada – Population of Portuguese origin (2021), RTS – Portuguese community in Switzerland (2023), Wikipedia – Portuguese diaspora, Portugal.fr – Portuguese in Luxembourg

(2) History-Immigration – Portuguese Immigration in France, SJF Inspiration – Causes of Portuguese Emigration)

(3) sedes.pt

(4). Programa Regressar – Return Assistance, Migrural – Blog on the Return of Migrants)