An Indian business owner in Portugal said in a street interview that he mainly hires Indian workers because Portuguese employees are “too expensive” and communication is easier with people from India.Asked whether he only hires Indians, the man replied: “Yes.” He said Portuguese workers cost more and described language as a barrier when dealing with local employees. When the interviewer asked the Indian man if the Portuguese are “lazy,” to which the man replied that they are not lazy, just expensive.The interviewer then asked whether he preferred working with Indians, to which the businessman responded positively. During the conversation, he also expressed satisfaction with the growing Indian population in the town. The businessman said that he is happy that Indian people are increasing in the village he is working in. When the interviewer asked the businessman how he would feel if a large number of Portuguese people moved to India and started living there, the man said he would not like it. He said that he would not like Portuguese people “in majority” in his city in India.The clip went viral on social media and was also shared by influencer Mario Nawfal. Indians working in foreign countries have always been a discussion of debate over immigration, labor costs, and integration. Social media users commented that these practices were discriminatory toward Portuguese workers and the statements made by the Indian businessman were hypocritical.Moreover, in US, the ‘America First’ conservatives are already pushing for stricter immigration rules so that Indians cannot “replace” Americans in their own country. Many right-wing influencers and Republican politicians have called for a revision of the visa system so that foreigners cannot find “loopholes” in the programme.Many Indians own businesses in wealthy countries such as the US, UK, Canada, Germany, and Australia. In some cases, employers in these countries prefer hiring Indian workers because they are willing to work for lower salaries than native workers.
