Unfortunately all these places loose their Portuguese ambiance and end up in a kind of international cityhopper-style. Quite boring.

What i like about seeing you guys talking about Portugal is, you are Portuguese, but you are also foreigners in a way. So, you have a diferent view how you see this country and people. I love seeing your view on us, from the flaws to the qualities. I mean, no one knows us better then "Ourselfs" (despite myself having a very distinguished national identity with the others, being from the Azores), but you guys open our eyes to see how we see ourselfs.

Honestly, the Portuguese are to blame for most of its problems. That international exchange, as you referred to, only benefitted the Portuguese. For a nation that prides itself on their Catholic faith, they created and pioneered some of the world worst atrocities. There are people who are still suffering because of the Portuguese. They love to pat themselves on the back by saying they were the first European country to abolish slavery, but they were actually the last. Only the Portuguese can resolve their country's problems.

You mention the low wages etc. here - I can confirm it is the same in Barcelona. I relocated here bc of the weather and got a job, but the wages kept me stuck and many places exploits expats; all your money goes to rent and your paycheck never grows. I was looking to relocate to Lisbon but conclude it will prob be the same situation. What advice would you give someone stuck in a rud bc of a country with too low wages? I'm trying to think creatively, to go to a country with better paid jobs and sort of stick it out with the weather for a while in hope to get something remote and THEN relocate? What is your take on this dilemma?

Loved your perspective on life in portugal as a foreigner. It's been 6 years I call Lisbon home and yeah, there are pros and cons

The government “invited“ us to move to Portugal and now we are the bad guys in the movie. Foreign investors? The Portuguese move to Switzerland and then invest in properties that rent out for a lot of money. In that case it’s cannibalism if they want to blame somebody.

The situation is complicated , we are soon getting to the same point as Spain where the " locals " hate foreigners with a passion . A normal Portuguese worker can no longer afford to live a "normal" life and are often treated as peasants by overspending foreigners that demand that everything here in Portugal should be as " at home" in Northern Europe or the USA.

I think the observations are generally correct. But many Portuguese dont agree and there is a massive backlash against the excessive presence of foreigners. So dont expect the environment to be very welcoming. The language is actually quite difficult to learn as words are short (vs say Spanish) and spoken with poor enunciation. The video guy "can get bye" after 20 years... Also, the bureaucracy supporting foreign residents has pretty much broken down over the past few years. People have resorted to suing the government to finally get the visa renewals etc that they deserve. You need strong nerves and the luxury of plenty of time to deal with that. Consider this carefully before making a move

In Portugal, the great risk of culture and customs loss is not from expats, who are usually older, retired, don't bring their kids and etc. The greatest threat is the uncontrolled immigration, specially from countries which culture and customs differ so much from the Portuguese, they will most likely never fully integrate into the country, and they arrive demanding changes to accommodate them. There are already many "aldeias" that feel like other countries. Expats do, however, tend to drive prices up, mainly in real estate, due to their higher buying power. Sadly, I see all the changes, for when most Americans weren't aware of Portugal, I grew up going there, once my background is Portuguese. I am on my 60's now, so I have seen a lot of changes.

In my opinion the problem is super complex but the big picture is (for me): expats come and bring a lot of benefits like you mentioned but the downside is that they take houses. Those benefits they bring to the community are not enough for them to buy houses after the impact of them coming in a house is a fundamental right. How to deal with this? Because expats coming do bring those benefits and it's nice to keep them... I think the Gov should promote and invest in social housing and old houses renovations (them doing it and/or make it easier for privates to do it). Also, investing in the portuguese countryside would make people migrate there and relief a bit of the pressure in Algarve, Lisbon, Porto and other bigger cities. Hope you understood my poor english 😅

The situation in Portugal is complicated but certainly the Golden Visa scheme and all the digital nomads that flocked there have had a significant impact on the cost of living for locals. The larger cities are unaffordable for many Portuguese now; in fact, many people are forced to move out to more remote areas or move back in with their parents. The historic food markets in those cities are now mostly used by tourists and expats. It's really a shame to see how hard it is for many people to survive there now. Having said that, the situation in the interior and more remote areas seems to be a lot more positive as expats are buying and restoring many abandoned or run down buildings and making a real effort to integrate.

A lot of what you say chimes with my own experience and perceptions. Learning portuguese is, as you say, key. No matter how modest your level it opens so many doors to integrating into your community and living life to the full in this wonderful country.

Thank you for not shying away from this topic. It is an issue in many city’s all over the world. Just by our existence we are all guilty of being a burden on the planet. Having a home while others do not. Polluting by air travel or buying cheap goods shipped across oceans. Being aware and talking about it is a good thing.

I am an Filipino with Temporary Residence Permit in Poland. I want to ask to Ana Teresa if I can get a work permit and apply for temporary resident permit in Portugal not passing to jobseeker visa program. I sent job applications to some companies thru LinkedIn.

I integrated from day one, I couldn't have lived here any other way. I was originally living in Santa Barbara, which was full of Brits. Most of which didn't even attempt to learn the language. I learned fairly quickly though and it was worth the effort. I loved the language and 35 years later and I am teaching it to foreigners. This and my two Portuguese sons, was my contribution to Portugal. 😊 My life has been very different to most expats...

Great perspectives on immigration you have there. I am from Australia where immigrants have heavily influenced our culture food and diversity since the second world war. If anything, immigration is preventing population collapse here. Our housing costs are some of the most expensive in the world, but that's more a reflection on lack of investment by successive governments than immigration.

Has the Portuguese government released any statistics about the impact of expats and immigration into Portugal? I mean, obviously someone had a plan back in 2009 and I'd be surprised if no one tracked whether that plan was considered a "success" or not.

Expats is a term invented by the English, Americans and other rich English speakers who think they are superior to other immigrants. After all, they don't want to be treated in the same way as immigrants in their own countries....

Expats???? The correct name is imigrants

Thank you for this video. 😊

I really liked this video! It gives you a good perspective on what's happening everywhere. This problem is happening in Colorado. We also have a housing shortage here. However, developers are building homes and apartments that a lot of regular people just can't afford! The cost of living here far exceeds what people can pay! An issue with greed is world-wide!

Thx for the vid. Just arrived in Vilamoura ("pine Cliffs ") amazing place

The positive effects are obvious. There are always some problems, but overall this trend is great for the country, I think.

Integration is a myth. If the indigenous population do not accept immigrants no matter how much effort they make to blend in and harmonise (just look at far right rhetoric) then complaints about immigrants become meaningless excuses for xenophobia.

PT should allow immigration with tax breaks from certain countries only---the ones that have people WITH money and that will spend money and have skills to boost their economy (if allowed to work)....but they won't do that because, like the rest of the folks running the EU, that could be considered "racist."

Thanks for all the comments, great points of view! If you need help moving to Portugal, we're here algarveaddicts.com/contact Drop us a line.

Socialists runs the country, and the EU has said no more tax advantages....because citizens in the EU are taxed more than anyone else in the world. PT citizens are POOR and taxed into oblivion, and will stay that way until somebody shows them what capitalism is.

Yes, this influx destroys not only Portugal but Spain too. Vloggers must STOP

I'm not going to talk about the term expats because it's been beaten to death already, but I have a few comments. The real number of foreigners living in Portugal is much higher than 1 million when you count illegals and people who got Portuguese citizenship these past few years. Also, I see everyone making one small mistake, both people who are pro and against immigration, which is, putting all foreigneirs in the same basket when there are many different types. I understand people want to be polite and look at foreigners as one big group, but, and this might not be very nice to say, foreigners are not all the same, don't act all the same, and don't contribute or respect the country all the same. There's a big difference between a handful of westerners moving to Portugal, contributing to the economy, being respectful and enjoying the country, and being overall good citizens, and the flood of people from other parts of the world who poured into the country in recent years, bringing an increase in crime, unrest, stretching the different social systems, putting downward pressure on wages, being disrespectful and/or ungrateful, and contributing to the housing crisis due to their high numbers. The former is welcome, the latter, well, the latter can be an issue sometimes.

We retired here in 2010 having lived as ex pat Brits in the Netherlands for over 35 yrs so we knew a little about living in a country not our own, and what sort of commitment it would be.We have tried very hard to speak the language, though living in pria da luz you have to fight very hard to be allowed to Busy waiters just haven't got the time to be patient a nd we appreciate that, nevertheless one of us has just taken the exam the other will only speak portuguese when out As to the medical we can afford to pay for private so we do Sadly one of us just had an unusual stroke and we are so glad we getting excellent care from Alvor hospital .We pay a very large amount of tax every year Enough to keep a family of four we always say but we feel it is our contribution to this beautiful country,We are privileged to live here love your site Nick would love to speak Dutch with you one day

From Portuguese, the house problem is really a big problem for young people mostly, and yes foreigners they provide money to the system, but you see, in Portugal there is to a entrepeneur mentality witch is pay little and little vision derived from yes the past, I would say that will gradually change ( I hope) mostly because if the worker is more educated and the company depends on him , if not they imigrate, but this is a mjor problem , its like the streams of money that is going in , they dont get distributed equaly, and most are going to foreign investors, and its easy to get this, who can invest the Portuguese population on the houses? just a few, most are the already ritch families and foreign investor groups that are constantly scanning... On another subject the health system, there I dont think its the foreigners the problem, not at all, the problem is more a quicly aging nation, the older you get the more care you are going to need and if young people dont have children ( and its not stimulated ) because its expensive to raise kids, and younger people are in a modern culture of selfiness too, so with low incomes they prefer to have travels, pets, good mobiles, a car etc... so they put more this in front in their top choices, having a kid is hardly a first choice has it was, this is the trend of modern days when you have to make choices...but ineficencies of goverment and a well known very ignorant and small elites thats we have been having this past 300 years, yes small country , small group of elite people, that they did not have money problems but they to sufered from world separation and their mentality a little bit in the past, so if the elites dont push hardly any country goes forward fast, you see the revolutions were not deep they were soft and so more or less always Portugal goes sailing through times...that is why now you see the right parties going up in the poles...why if there is billions coming and groing why if we are now open to the exterior, why is the question, because not balaced distribution on money and resourses , poor elites without vision, and goverments that have not been to good ( as you can see by the country default in 2009) govements are weak , lacking politicians with vision ( witch is not just a portugal problem...I mean in Europe and in the US there is not prolific politicians, that is why the west is slowly losing its past power, easy to see)

What a well done video. You a great "explainer" of the facts, figures and reality of immigration in Portugal, without the drama that often accompanies these discussions. Liked the humorous inserts also! 8-)

We are so excited to start our relocation journey to Portugal. I hope we can add value to the community. We don’t drink, smoke and are totally into enjoying the nature, food and learn the Portuguese language. Great content 🙏🏽

Nick: I am living in the US and getting ready to retire.....thinking about VRSA, Faro and Olhao (and the Algarve in general) due in no small part to your videos. I have a grandparent that was born in Ireland so am applying for Irish citizenship through their Foreign Births Registry which, I understand, will allow me to obtain an Irish Passport (Republic of Ireland not UK). Once I have that, do I have access to the entire EU including Portugal? If I plan to live and possibly work there full time, will I need any kind of visa? The recent election here of a wacky wannabe dictator has me thinking (and many other Americans) that I should step up my plans. When I'm ready to go, I will be using you guys as a buying agent.

After this last election, we are now at the the beginning stages of our Amerexit. Looking at a 4.5 year plan to move to Portugal from the Chicago suburbs. Starting learning the language on Duolingo and researching online. This channel is really helpful. Hoping we can make it a reality. So much work to do and hoping to make this dream a reality.

I’ve met many Portuguese folk in the UK. Whole barrios of them……..

7:33 There are benefits that come along with bringing money into the local economy, but it’s a balancing act. And the impact is not made more positive by the Portuguese government making one of the requirements to get the visa having a purchased property or a 12-month lease. Foreigners end up paying crazy prices, or doing things like paying for the whole year of rent in advance, just to be selected by a landlord. Contrast this with France, where to get a visitor visa, you only need to show that you’ve rented a place for three months, or Spain, where you just have to have an address you’ll be staying in to get the visa, although you’ll need a six-month lease in hand in most places to get your residency card. Most foreigners coming in rent short-term places (which of course bring their own issues) until they can secure a lease. That means they aren’t buying/renting sight unseen prior to their move, which in general means they are less likely to pay inflated prices. At least that’s the way it seems.

Well explained Nick very well explained 👏 👍

10% or 20% taxes for 10 years, you guys buy a house for free in 10 years... Is that fair... now Portuguese people cant buy a f.... house because its 2 to 3 times the price that it was 15 years ago... this is not going to be a good thing...

Deport the Indians!!!!

As a Portuguese you are f. welcome. I worked abroad, have tons of friends exported. About "expact" :D will tell my friends to call themselves that, is more classy than "trolha na Suíça"

There are no ex-'pats in Portugal! There are foreign immigrants in Portugal but no ex-Pats.

I like this video, I think it's a great thing that Portugal is experiencing this. In a way, everywhere is or will be eventually. The key is to realize that change happens everywhere, and people will adjust to where they settle and vice versa. Nothing seems perfect in this world, but cooperation is good overall. Also, Portugal was originally settled by many different tribal and linguistic groups, some wildly different from each other. The new Portugal will be better for this continued development, without losing what's important to Portugal.

They are.

It was a sad experience to walk through Lisbon this summer and only seeing foreigners. Portugal is quickly losing its charm. Portuguese people can no longer afford to live in the places that they made beautiful. Stop calling yourselves expats, you’re immigrants. It demonstrates your arrogance to Portuguese people.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts 🎉

I lived and worked in Lisbon 1989 & 1990. It’s was much better then, in my opinion. I understand the upside of foreign investment and tourism growth but places like Lisbon, Algarve etc. destroyed in my opinion. Bus loads of American tourist in the Bairro Alto was such a turn off. I visited Portugal last Fall and didn’t spend one day in Lisbon or Porto. Not worth it anymore.

SHUT OFF; BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU , THE HOUSES ARE NOW A FORTUNE !!!!! You are all disgusting , vampires 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

Yes they are. Reality is, expats especially Americans think money buys everything but the best things in life can’t be bought, and one of those precious things is culture. Portugal has a culture made of its History, Language, Architecture, Gastronomy, its values and morals. If you aren’t willing to learn all of this and adapt or ideally completely merge with the portuguese culture, you should leave the country. No we don’t need you to renovate our old and aged buildings if you’re not going to respect our architecture; no we don’t need you to offer suggestions on how to adapt our seasonings or to try fusing your tacos with our sandes. Also, you must absolutely must learn to speak portuguese, it’s the bare minimum. If your money can’t buy you this, your money is totally useless.

GET OFF 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡