IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS
José-Louis Jacome, June 15, 2020
Hardened Hands Wanted
The news were relayed everywhere. At the church, family gatherings, local bar and in all City Halls, the word was out. Canada is open to Portuguese citizens. The Saturnia group, considered as an experiment conducted in early May was positive. The Portuguese and Azoreans immigrants landed in Canada last May aboard the first ship have shown great capacity of adaptation, they are good workers. More Portuguese citizens could now pursue their American dream in the country north of the United States, named Canada, a huge country, where it is very cold but where there is also lots of work and opportunity.
These are the minimum requirements those interested in immigrating to Canada would have to meet. They were published in the São Miguel newspaper, Diário dos Açores, on October 31, 1953, along with the places to go to register in the immigration process.
a) Portuguese citizens, males, ages between 22 and 35 years old.
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b) They must be able to read and write Portuguese as a minimum.
Note: Some articles specified a 3rd year education, as a minimum.
c) Immigrant must have the strong physical condition required for the work they will perform.
The health condition of the immigrant and his family will be thoroughly examined; it will include a Radio X and other medical exams. Family members will have to pass the exams even if they do not accompany the immigrant.
Immigrants shall not have any physical or mental issues, neither have contagious diseases like tuberculosis, trachoma or syphilis.
For his family, which includes wife and children, the same physical and mental health conditions are required.
d) They must have the financial capacity to deal with the expenses of the trip and related expenses.
A minimum expense of approximately 11 000 escudos is anticipated (if a reduction of price is not available for the ship trip).
Note: The exchange rate for the Canadian dollar was about 30 escudos for 1 dollar. The 11,000 escudos represented about $366. Half of that was for the one way trip.
e) Good morals attested by the Criminal Registry
Note: Only farm workers and people used to heavy work will be accepted. Those involved in light jobs will be refused. The selection of people wishing to emigrate will start next Monday as per the following agenda.
In 1957, at a farm in Saint-Hyacinthe, a group of immigrant workers from São Miguel at the Frank Spingola farm. Manuel Piques is at the center, the next one left is José da Costa (Camara), brother of Humberto and Manuel Camara, our neighbours at Rua das Rosas, Ribeira Grande.
As many pioneers told me, many Portuguese emigrants got around the latter note. They did not have the required farm or heavy work experience. They worked in stores or in offices. They would purposely do anything to get their hands look rough and get a fast tan to look like a peasant or a construction worker. They were often accepted with these tricks.
In their new world, they were also tested. I will always remember the story pioneer Afonso Maria Tavares told me. That day of September 2011, I laughed to tears with the little man from Rabo de Peixe, a true force of nature, courageous like all pioneers. Here is his cute and telling story.
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In the early years, 1953-54, many farm owners would came to Montreal to meet the first Portuguese immigrants at the Immigration Service office. “They would look at us, take our arms, feel the mussels and then look at our hands to select the stronger men. I felt like we were animals. Fortunately, every time, I was the smallest in the group and always the only one left. This way, I could avoid this humbling and disgraceful test”, he said. I asked him to repeat this story each time I
had the opportunity to meet him in Mississauga and I laughed every time. I also enjoyed very much his very Azorean way of telling stories.
About the author
Born in São Miguel and living in Montreal since 1958, I published a book in 2018 about Azorean immigration to Canada in the 1950s. “De uma ilha para outra” was published in Portuguese and French. The book and an exhibition that accompanies it were presented in Montreal, São Miguel, Toronto and Boston. The book is sold in Montreal, Toronto and São Miguel, and through my Website. I continue to publish information and stories relating to the first big wave of Azorean and Portuguese immigration to Canada in the 1950s through my Website jljacome.com and my Facebook page D’une île à l’autre.
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