I should have started this blog years ago, at least 5 years ago, but I lived in hope that someone in a position of authority in Madeira, would foresee what would happen with growing immigration.
In Portugal continental the situation is almost identical, but of course with a population of around 10 million the scale the actual numbers are much greater with around 1.8 million immigrants in a stable or waiting acceptance situation.
Nobody really did anything significant in anticipation however, except make a mess of the immigration laws and their enforcement.
Portugal is not the first country to find itself in this position within Europe. Spain in particular has been targeted by foreigners as an alternative place to live, or to buy a second home. But island locations seem to boast a special charm that attracts tourists and immigrants, often converting the first into the second.
I will take a brief look at these Spanish locations, as their existence is far more advanced than the situation of the Island of Madeira. However as the legal immigration is just a part of the overall migration picture, comparisons may be unreliable. I am referring of course mainly to immigration from the African continent, where immigrants hope to obtain an asylum seeker status, or some other status that allows them to remain in Spain (or Europe).
I don’t have the resources to obtain most of the information I need, except through Artificial Intelligence. That may not always be entirely correct of course, so I will welcome feedback and quality information from other sources, especially through this blog comments section. I am not looking for day to day experiences, just longer term experiences, trends, official expectations etc.
If you have friends or colleagues that might be interested in this subject matter of immigration and integration, any recommendations for this blog will be greatly appreciated.
The longer term objective will be to create a harmonious island community of Madeirans and mixed immigrant origins.
Thank you for joining me on this journey to heal Madeira.
Healing Madeira 