DILI 27 october 2022 (TATOLI)- The President of Parliament National, Aniceto Guterres thanked the Portuguese authorities for their support and assistance for the labor migration problem of Timor-Leste citizens who are struggling in Portugal.
The chairman of the PN, Aniceto Guterres, conveyed his appreciation at the opening of the XI Plenary Session of the Plenary Assembly of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) in Lisbon, Portugal.
During the CPLP Parliamentary Session, Guterres said that this matter was also a concern for Timor-Leste authorities.
“TL is at a difficult crossroads but recognizes the need to intervene before the situation becomes more serious. I want to thank the Portuguese authorities for their support to settle the issue,” he said.
Aniceto Guterres reminded that TL had made a great leap in the quality of labor mobility, through the cooperation agreement between the governments of South Korea and Australia.
It is known, since the beginning of the Seasonal Labor program in 2011, the Government through the State Secretariat for Vocational Training and Employment (SEFOPE) has succeeded in mobilizing 5,000 Timorese workers to Australia and 3,000 to South Korea.
“Portugal is a destination for migrant workers who wish to complete their documents to work temporarily, they go to Portugal by borrowing money to finance their trip, however, we have witnessed a wave of migration that has received false promises from illegal agencies, due to lack of information,” he said.
Guterres is aware that the increase in illegal agencies in the T, contributes to the irregularity of migration as human trafficking, leads to labor exploitation conditions, and places migrants in a very vulnerable situation.
Currently, there are around 5,000 Timorese workers in Portugal who are facing problems in that country.
The Portuguese government established a working group to provide humanitarian assistance to Timorese workers, consisting of the TL embassy in Portugal, the high commissioner for migration, the Portuguese Institute of Employment and Professional Training, the Lisbon City Council, and others.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia B.
