Goa, a small state with around 15 lakh people, has seen many citizens obtain Portuguese passports to secure jobs abroad”mainly in the UK before Brexit, and now in France and Ireland. With one in every 22 Goans holding a government job, about 70,000 people are employed in the public sector.
In contrast, an estimated 2.4 lakh Goans work overseas using Portuguese passports”a credible figure over the past 24 years. This means roughly one in seven Goans is employed abroad through Portuguese nationality, triple the number holding government jobs.
By extending nationality rights to three generations of Goans, Portugal has indirectly supported employment opportunities for thousands who might otherwise have remained jobless. Without this, Goa’s unemployment scenario could have been far worse.
Interestingly, today marks the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, drawing over a lakh pilgrims, including several Goans who join the solemn celebration”a symbolic link between Goa’s history, faith, and its enduring connection with Portugal.
