Foreigners Waiting in Long Lines Outside the IMT in Funchal
Video footage shared on Facebook shows a long line in front of the IMT office (Instituto de Mobilidade e Transportes IP-RAM) / DRETT Funchal, with people lining up peacefully and the queue stretching for several dozen meters. The scene reflects growing demand, primarily driven by non-European foreigners likely seeking to exchange their driver’s licenses. See the video:
Biased and Xenophobic Comments on Facebook
The video posted on Facebook, featuring somehow stigmatizing Asian music, unfortunately attracted many biased and xenophobic comments. Some viewers expressed their concern about the unusually high number of foreigners queuing at the IMT, while others made defamatory claims, suggesting that these individuals do not want to work, are destroying Madeira or are Muslim extremists. Calls for support from the right-wing populist party Chega were dominating.
It won’t be long before they are setting up the stand on the streets cooking those smelly specialties for the tourists!
The end of paradise has already begun! The worst kind of people will dominate this piece of rock in an instant! Take care of your children because politicians have the bad habit of hiding the crimes of these people! ...
That means votes...
It won’t be long before they are committing the same crimes as in other places... Politicians sons of the bitches who bore them!On of many xenophobic comments on Facebook by Zita Caires, translated from Portuguese to English
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Tourism Industry Fuels Immigration Trends
The situation depicted in the video can largely be explained by the hospitality sector, which is often criticized for offering minimum wages to its employees. This industry has played a significant role in driving the demand for foreign labor, as salaries are not enough for Portuguese nationals or European expats to maintain a reasonable standard of living, let alone to even rent an apartment.
Doing hospitality without thinking about immigrants is totally impossible
We need to establish conditions to effectively welcome people. There is work in different areas that needs to be done
José Theotónio - Jornal de Negocios
As a result, the industry has increasingly sought workers from countries with lower living costs to fill its workforce needs. Workers who often do not know about their rights and who are willing to work to survive, simply because they often do not have the choice or because the situation in their home country is hardly any better.
655% Up! Significant Growth in License Requests Reported in 2024
According to JM-Madeira, the Institute for Land Mobility (Instituto de Mobilidade Terrestre) has observed a sharp rise in applications to exchange foreign driver’s licenses for Portuguese ones. In 2024, the number of these requests from Asian citizens increased by an impressive 655.7%, highlighting a growing trend in this demographic.
Bangladesh Nationals Lead in Applications
Bangladeshi citizens accounted for the majority of the requests, with 737 applications, surpassing the previously dominant group from Venezuela. This shift underscores a changing pattern in migration and settlement trends within Portugal.
Monthly Issuance Reaches 2,200 Licenses
On average, the institute issued 2,200 licenses per month in 2024, a testament to the increasing demand for driving credentials among foreign residents. The surge has added significant pressure on the institute, as seen in the long queues frequently forming outside its offices.
Sources:
Facebook
JM-Madeira
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