Extranjeros (inmigrantes) en Luanda (Angola). Su integración en el sector económico de la construcción, salud y economía informal

Résumé

Research question: Why were there large concentration of migrants in Luanda and which economic sectors were they involved in? General objective: Analyze Angola’s migration policy and identify the categories (models) of integration of the immigrants who find themselves in construction, health and informal sectors of the economy. Specific objectives: • Examine the pull factors of immigrants to Luanda (Angola). • Analyze the norms approved in the context of the new migratory map of the country. • Describe the perception of the national collective with respect to immigrants and immigration. This work expresses the experience of Angola as a country of immigration. Due to the lack of data, the thesis sought an in-depth interview with experts and migrants. The investigation began in 2002 -the period in which Angola achieves peace accords- and which coincided with the economic development of the country. Between 2002 and 2014, the economy grew by an average of 11.2% per year and the HDI rose close to two hundredths per year. This led and is still leading to the arrival of immigrants. The thesis analyzes the integration of these migrants from the industrialized North and the underdeveloped South into the construction, health and informal sectors of the economy. This integration is structured around three axes: access to work, context and the reaction of the native community with respect to immigrants and immigration. Access to work comprises two modalities: public and private. Both dimensions are preceded by agreements that include work permits. The context is that of Luanda that offers more employment opportunities. In general, there is a positive perception towards immigrants and immigration and this perception is seen in the absence of conflict. The thesis concludes by highlighting the particularity of Luanda’s migratory context: the city welcomes people from the global north and the global south. The emigration of highly qualified workers from the first world to poor countries is still to be developed within the theoretical framework. That is why the context of Luanda offers channels to further deepen this phenomenon. In fact, future research should intensify the study of this issue. It should also look at the integration of migrants into other sectors, such as the one of oil industry where there is a strong presence of foreign workers.