Angolan Emigrants: Top Destinations And Reasons Why

Angola has a long history of migration, dating back to the Paleolithic Age. In recent years, the country has seen significant emigration, with Portuguese nationals making up a large portion of this group. Between 2000 and 2015, Portuguese emigration to Angola increased significantly, driven by economic factors such as the global recession and austerity measures in Portugal. This trend, however, slowed down after 2013, possibly due to Angola's weakening economic growth and challenges with immigration policies.

Angola has also been a destination for immigrants, particularly from neighbouring countries in West Africa. However, the country has pursued a policy of expelling undocumented migrants, often subjecting them to degrading and violent conditions in dedicated immigration facilities. This has led to concerns and criticism from human rights organisations and the United Nations.

Portuguese emigration to Angola

Portuguese emigrants to Angola are predominantly male (65%) and relatively old, with two-thirds being over 35. They tend to be highly skilled, with 58% having completed tertiary education. A large proportion of them are also married (54%). Portuguese migrants to Angola are often transferred by their employers, with 73% having left Portugal with a job offer. They tend to be well-paid, with 74% sending remittances back to Portugal.

The migration of Portuguese citizens to Angola can be understood as a form of reverse post-colonial migration. Many Portuguese migrants or their parents lived in Angola during the colonial period, and some have dual nationality. However, the primary driver of Portuguese emigration to Angola is economic, rather than a desire to return to a country with which they have ancestral ties.

Portuguese migrants in Angola often face bureaucratic hurdles and antagonistic personal relations with Angolans. They are also often targeted by the police due to their skin colour, and they are vulnerable to exploitation by middlemen who offer to help them obtain work permits for large fees. However, Portuguese migrants who are closely allied with the Angolan elite are able to benefit from corruption, which is often necessary to win government contracts.

Angola's expulsion of undocumented migrants

Angola has a history of expelling undocumented migrants for "national security" reasons. The country has opened several dedicated immigration facilities, where thousands of non-nationals are detained in often degrading and violent conditions while awaiting removal.

Since ending its three-decade-long civil war in the early 2000s, Angola has pursued a policy of expelling undocumented migrants. The country has justified this by claiming there are more than half a million people in the country illegally, referring to them as part of a "silent invasion". This figure has been disputed by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which stated that there were only 106,800 international migrants in Angola as of 2015, representing 0.4% of its population.

In 2018, the Angolan government forcibly returned or caused to flee over 400,000 people during an operation targeting illegal diamond mining in the Lunda Norte province. This operation was called "Operation Transparency" and was aimed at reducing diamond smuggling and reforming the world's fifth-largest diamond industry. The UN reported that at least six Congolese migrants were shot dead by Angolan security forces and allied ethnic Tshokwe youth during this operation. Many migrants and refugees who crossed the border into the Democratic Republic of Congo accused Angolan security forces of beatings, sexual assault, burning down homes, looting and destruction of property, illegal taxation, arbitrary detention, and other abuses.

In addition to the human cost, the mass arrival of hundreds of thousands of Congolese people to the DRC risked further destabilising the southern region of the country, with national elections scheduled for December 23.

The Angolan government has denied that its security forces committed human rights abuses during Operation Transparency. However, the Angolan ambassador to the DRC, José João Manuel, said his government is willing to investigate the allegations.

Angolan refugees and asylum seekers

Angola has a long history of emigration and immigration. Since the end of its civil war in the early 2000s, the country has pursued a policy of expelling undocumented migrants for "national security" reasons. Angolan authorities have also worked to ramp up fear of foreigners, claiming that there are more than half a million people in the country illegally.

In 2014, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that Angola "had a right to deport irregular migrants, but must do so humanely and in full compliance with international human rights laws and standards". Angola has ratified the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol, but the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported the systematic detention of asylum-seekers without any consideration of alternatives measures.

Angola's Law Regulating the Legal Status of Foreigners, which was last amended in 2011, provides a legal framework for immigration control, including grounds for immigration-related detention. Under this law, detention is compulsory when foreign nationals are denied entry or are subject to judicial expulsion after being found to be undocumented or present illegally in the country. This expulsion includes a period of not less than five years during which the foreigner is banned from re-entering the country.

The Expatriate and Migration Services (SME), under the Interior Ministry, can also notify foreign nationals in an irregular situation to leave Angolan territory within eight days. If they are found in the territory after this period, they can be detained prior to removal.

According to the UNHCR, as of mid-2020, there were 80,698 refugees and asylum seekers in the country.

Angolan migration to the US

Angola has been a member of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) since 1991. The IOM has implemented initiatives to ensure safe and orderly migration to and from the country.

When it comes to Angolan migration to the US, there is limited information available. However, based on the reciprocal migration patterns between Angola and Portugal, it can be assumed that similar dynamics may be at play for Angolans migrating to the US.

For Angolans seeking higher education, the US may be an attractive destination due to its prestigious universities and the potential for scholarships. Additionally, Angolans with family or social connections in the US may be more inclined to migrate there. The perception of greater economic opportunities and the possibility of higher wages could also be motivating factors for Angolans considering migration to the US.

It is important to note that migration is a complex decision influenced by various factors, and each individual's experience and motivations may vary. Visa requirements, cultural differences, and the availability of support systems in the US can also play a role in an Angolan's decision to migrate there.

To fully understand the dynamics of Angolan migration to the US, further research and data specific to that migration corridor would be necessary.

Angolan migration to Portugal

Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975, and this marked the beginning of large-scale migratory flow from Angola to Portugal. However, this early flow consisted mainly of retornados—white Portuguese born in Angola. The bulk of mixed-race or black African migrants came later.

The most intense period for migration was in the 1990s. Most Angolans came to Portugal on a tourist visa and overstayed, converting into residents and citizens. Others sought asylum. A large majority of those who did not migrate to Portugal instead migrated to South Africa. Of the migrants, many were either young adults or teenagers. 69.5% were male. 76.4% had some sort of occupation, 68.8% had completed a basic level of education, and most came from middle to low-middle socioeconomic backgrounds. Emigration to Portugal from Angola was largely a result of war, economic instability, academic aspirations, and new opportunities.

In 1998, Law 244/98 in Lisbon was passed, allowing families to reconnect in Portugal. The condition was that the individual residing in Lisbon must have lived there for at least one year. The individual can also petition for their family member living outside of Portugal. The process to residency for the petitioned family member begins with temporary living status, which can be renewed once it expires. After appealing for additional years, they may be authorized for residency, regardless of the status of the already resident individual who petitioned.

In 2002, a peace agreement was signed to end the Angolan Civil War, and many Angolan migrants in Portugal returned to Angola. By 2003, statistics showed that between 8,000 and 10,000 had already returned, and 400 people a week were flying from Portugal to the Angolan capital, Luanda. However, the population of Angolan legal residents in Portugal did not decrease from 2001 to 2003 but instead grew by 12.6% (from 22,751 to 25,616 people).

In 2006, official statistics showed 28,854 legal Angolan residents in Portugal. However, this number is likely an underestimate of the true size of the community, as it does not count people of Angolan origin who hold Portuguese citizenship. In 2022, 31,614 Angolans were counted as living in Portugal. Angolans in Portugal form the country's second-largest group of African migrants, after Cape Verdeans.

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