A new study released by the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) finds that speaking Portuguese corresponds to an average 20% salary bonus for Portuguese-American workers in the United States.
The report, developed for FLAD by a research group led by Alda Botelho Azevedo of the Instituto de Ciências Sociais (ICS), Universidade de Lisboa, underscores the growing economic significance of bilingualism within a community of more than 1.3 million Portuguese-Americans.
The report suggests that Portuguese proficiency is particularly valued across various sectors. States with large Portuguese-American populations—Massachusetts, Rhode Island, California, New Jersey, Florida, and Hawaii—show the strongest salary differentials and job market demand for bilingual candidates.
The study also reveals that bilingual Portuguese speakers enjoy higher earnings, greater career mobility, and stronger recruitment interest—particularly in fields with growing connections to Portugal and the Lusophone countries.
According to the report, these findings challenge outdated assumptions that heritage languages lose value over generations. Instead, the study shows that maintaining Portuguese within families and communities produces measurable economic benefits for descendants of Portuguese immigrants.
The study shows that heritage is not only cultural. Being fluent in Portuguese is economically beneficial, as it opens doors in the United States, where companies are increasingly seeking staff who can navigate relationships with Portugal and the broader Lusophone world. For Portuguese Americans, keeping the language alive yields a measurable return on investment.
“The findings show that integration does not inevitably weaken ancestral ties, but sustaining both requires deliberate action. As younger generations grow further from the immigrant experience, language and community spirit serve as a cultural anchor, as a promise of renewal is brought by a new generation of Portuguese-Americans,” remarked Nuno Morais Sarmento, FLAD’s president.
The study suggests strengthening Portuguese language offerings in U.S. public schools and universities, expanding heritage language programs, increasing scholarships and teacher training, promoting curriculum development, and supporting partnerships between American employers and institutions across the Lusophone world. It also encourages programs that connect diaspora youth with educational and professional opportunities in Portugal.
The full report, “An American dream in Portuguese: second generation and beyond” is available in FLAD’s website. Download the complete English PDF @ Estudo ING_digital.pdf
PAJ/Staff/updated
The Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD), headed by president Nuno Morais Sarmento, was established on May 20, 1985, through the approval of Decree-Law No. 168/85 by the Portuguese government. Its creation was a direct outcome of the 1983 Cooperation and Defense Agreement between Portugal and the United States, which included provisions for military, economic, and energy support. One significant aspect of this agreement was the continued U.S. presence at the Lajes Air Base in the Azores. FLAD acts as a transatlantic bridge, promoting academic exchange, scientific collaboration, cultural enrichment, and bilateral dialogue. It operates through grants, fellowships, programs, and large-scale projects, playing a pivotal role in promoting the Portugal-US relationship.
