Cape Verde is preparing to sign structured labor migration agreements with countries in West and Central Africa as it confronts acute shortages in sectors such as agriculture and construction.
Minister for Investment Promotion and Business Development, Eurico Monteiro, announced the government’s readiness to welcome regular labor migration through formal bilateral partnerships, stressing the need for controlled and needs-based immigration.
“We are not just considering this path—we have already opened discussions and received interest from institutions ready to engage,” Monteiro said Wednesday on the sidelines of a labor market forum in Praia.
The proposed framework aims to facilitate the legal and organized integration of foreign workers, particularly from countries with close linguistic and historical ties to Cape Verde, such as Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
Monteiro underlined that the initiative responds to ongoing appeals from Cape Verdean employers, who are struggling to recruit in key industries. “There is a clear labor deficit in crucial sectors. Construction and agriculture are particularly affected,” he stated.
By institutionalizing labor migration through bilateral cooperation, the government intends to ease pressure on domestic labor markets while ensuring that incoming workers are integrated in a way that supports both economic and social stability.
This move marks a shift in Cape Verde’s migration policy, aligning it more closely with national development goals and reinforcing its ties with regional neighbors through coordinated labor mobility.