Indicator history

In study on immigration wages using the Staff Tables of the Ministério do Trabalho e da Solidariedade Social [Ministry of Work and Social Solidarity] Carneiro et al showed that immigrant workers receive an hourly wage 2,6per cent less than the hourly wage received by Portuguese workers in similar conditions, adding that this “wage penalty” is “relatively inferior when compared with other available estimates for other European countries” . The authors also conclude that higher and lower salaries are less penalised. Furthermore, the study emphasises that there is a progressive upgrading in the context of stable work relations, which puts into question the conclusions of some recent studies: the salary corresponding to the first year of employment under a single employer rises approximately 2.65per cent, while for nationals it only increases an average of 1.48per cent

But in a comprehensive study on Brazilian immigration in Portugal, Silva & Schiltz refer that Brazilians respondents did not feel strongly disadvantaged when compared to Portuguese workers: 74.4per cent of them state that their salary is not worse than native citizens’ salary and 80.9per cent claim that their job is neither more risky nor harder than the Portuguese’s job.

Sources:

CARNEIRO, A., FORTUNA, N., VAREJÃO, J. (2007), “Ganhos dos imigrantes e características do empregador”, Quadros de Pessoal e Investigação em Economia, Gabinete de Estratégica e Planeamento, Ministério do Trabalho e da Solidariedade Social, Lisboa, pp. 17-21.

SILVA, S.S.B., SCHILTZ, A. (2007), “A relação entre os imigrantes brasileiros e os portugueses – a construção de imagens recíprocas”, MALHEIROS, J.M. (org.), Imigração Brasileira em Portugal, Observatório da Imigração, Lisboa, pp. 155-.