WELDI baseline report

Migrant population
3.737 foreign nationals (14,1%) from 73 nationalities.
260 refugees have been hosted since 2018 on the city’s own initiative,
in partnership with the Portugues High Commission for Migrations
(ACM), including people originating from search and rescue missions,
the EU relocation mechanism and victims of trafficking.
73 Ukranians (of originally 132) brought to Fundão at the outbreak of
the war.
70 seasonal workers from East Asia hired by local agricultural companies.
About 60 international vocational students from Portuguese-speaking
African countries per year - some of them stay in Fundão after finishing
their training.
1,200 highly skilled international workers recruited by local companies.
About 500 EU citizens, often with alternative lifestyles.
Socio-economic context
The presence of migrants has almost doubled in the last decade.
Fundão is the Portuguese centre for cherry production - creating
better working and living conditions and “fixing” seasonal workers to
the town was one of the starting points for Fundão’s plan to become a
“welcoming land”.
Challenges and needs
Further develop capacity, culture and mindset to become a welcoming
town and promote social and cultural integration.
▷ How to effectively raise awareness of the public about the benefits
of migrant integration and the challenges that migrants face.
▷ Learning about successful measures to celebrate the different
cultures that make up the city’s population.
Scope for better processes for matching migrants with local work
opportunities.
▷ Inspiration on how to improve employment and entrepreneurship
support, e.g. through job placements, mentorship programs, and
entrepreneurship support.
▷ Share advocacy strategies about improving procedures of
recognition of foreign qualifications.
Shortage of adequate housing for newcomers.
Lack of awareness of human rights in some sectors of the municipality.
▷ Learn about successful capacity building measures.
Fundão faces systematic shortages of skilled labour in key sectors such
as agriculture/forestry, agro-industry, metalworking and CNC, polishing
and ICT.
Fundão’s unemployment rate is 6.5% (11.3% for non-Portuguese citizens).
WELDI - Baseline report Fundão, PT 28