Labour market policy thematic review 2018: an in-depth analysis of the emigration of skilled labour, Portugal

Abstract

Following a downturn after 25 April 1974, Portuguese emigration grew steadily once the country joined the EU in 1986 and has accelerated since 2000. The economic trends of stagnation and downward pressure on public investment that followed Portugal’s accession to the Euro generated increased emigration during the first two decades of the 21st Century, mainly due to worsening labour market conditions (Pires et al. 2015; Peixoto et al. 2016). This increase was interrupted by the financial crisis of 2008-10 but reinforced during the fiscal consolidation of 2011-14.