Portuguese Work Visas

When it comes to granting work visas, Portugal gives preference to European Union nationals over non-EU nationals. Non-EU citizens must meet the following criteria to be eligible for a Portuguese work visa:

• Have a work permit (obtained by your employer on your behalf).
• Have no criminal convictions.
• Have the required professional qualification and experience.
• In cases of transfer, you must have worked for the organisation in your current country of residence for at least 12 months.
• Earn a salary above Portugal’s national minimum wage.
• Must not have been prohibited from entering Portuguese territory.
• Must have no admission restrictions in the Schengen information system.
• Must have no admission restrictions in SEF’s information system.

You may need an immigration expert to help analyse your situation and ensure that you meet the legal requirements before applying.

IAS lawyers are immigration experts and will walk you through the Portuguese visa application process. Call us at +44 (0)333 305 9375 to speak with one of our lawyers and get immediate help with your situation.

Although applying for a Portugal work visa takes several processes, it is easy if you understand the system.

You can get professional help from our IAS lawyers for a seamless application.
Contact us today by either calling: +44 (0)333 305 9375, or contact us online.

The application process for a Portuguese work visa is in three phases.

1. Getting your work permit: This is the first step in getting a Portuguese work visa after securing a job with a Portuguese employer. Your employer is to make the application for a work permit to the Portuguese Labour Authority on your behalf. Once the application is successful, your employer will issue you the work permit, which you’ll use to apply for a Portuguese work visa.
2. Applying for your work visa: After receiving your work permit, the next step is applying for a Portuguese work visa at the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate nearest you.
3. Resident Permit Application: You’ll have to make an appointment with the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) for your residence permit when you enter Portugal.

A Portuguese work permit is a document that proves you have genuine employment in Portugal and that the job meets all the requirements for a Portuguese work visa and residence permit.

Employers are to apply for work permits (Autorização de Trabalho) with the Portuguese Labour Authorities on behalf of their non-EU employees coming to work in Portugal.

Due to high unemployment rates in Portugals, the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training allows employers to offer non-EU citizens only roles that Portuguese, EU, EEA, or Swiss citizens cannot fill.

Employers have to advertise their openings to EU and EFTA nationals for at least one month.

Once your Portuguese employer obtains a work permit for you, you can then apply for a Portuguese work visa using the work permit.

With professional help, you can accelerate the process of getting a work permit and applying for your visa. IAS lawyers can help you and your employer sort through the required documentation, apply on time and follow up on the application so that you can get your visa and resume work at the earliest possible time.

To obtain a Portuguese work permit, employers have to provide the following documents:

• The employment contract.
• Company tax records.
• Proof of Social Security registration.
• Evidence that the role could not be filled by an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen.
• Other employee details, such as passport number and recent passport photos.

Note that your current work permit will no longer be valid if you change jobs in Portugal. You’ll have to get another work permit from your new employer. Failure to do so will result in Problems with the Portuguese Authorities.

Once you’ve received your work permit from your employer, you can apply for a work visa at the Portuguese Consulate nearest you. The process of applying for a Portuguese work visa is as follows:

1. Complete the application form: You’re to fill out all required details in the application form. An incomplete application form will render your visa application invalid. Once you’re done with this, you’ll need to call or email the Portuguese Embassy to book an appointment.
2. Collect relevant supporting documents: As part of the application process, you’ll need to provide specific documentation during your appointment at the embassy. Getting all the required documents together might take time, but it’s best to start early, so you’ll have them ready before your appointment date.
3. Go for your visa appointment: This appointment often includes a visa interview during which you’ll submit your supporting documents.

To complete your visa application, you’ll need to provide certain documents to prove your identity, and that you need a Portuguese work visa. You’ll be required to provide some or all of the following documents in addition to your visa application form:

• A valid passport or another relevant travel document.
• Your employment contract with your employer.
• Your Portuguese work permit.
• Recent passport photographs.
• Proof of financial ability to fund your trip.
• Travel and flight details.
• Proof of accommodation -rental contract or hotel reservations.
• Criminal record from your home country or country of residence (for the last 12 months).
• Permission for SEF to check your criminal records.
• Proof of health insurance or valid travel insurance covering your stay in Portugal to the tune of EUR 30,000.
• Proof of legal residence if you’re not applying from your country of origin.

All required documents must be in Portuguese or English. You’ll need to provide notarised translations (from a certified translator) for documents in other languages.

You may also need to legalise some documents as proof of authenticity. You can do this through the Portuguese Embassy or Apostille Stamp in your country of residence.

A residence permit is a legal document allowing you to stay and work in Portugal for over three months.

Your work visa grants you entry into Portugal but does not automatically grant you residency. You’ll have to apply for a temporary residence permit with SEF once you enter Portugal.

A resident permit is usually valid for one year or two, depending on the type of permit, and can be renewed for two years at a time.

After five years of holding a Portuguese temporary resident permit, you can apply for a permanent residence permit with SEF. Once you’ve got a permanent residence permit, you’ll no longer need a work visa to work in Portugal.

High-Skilled Worker Visa

Portugal issues this type of permit to persons coming in to carry out highly qualified or highly rated professional activities as experts in their fields. Hence, it is also known as a highly qualified activity residence permit.

This permit covers professionals such as scientific researchers, medical professionals, higher education teachers/professors, and engineers. Highly skilled workers in performing arts and show business are also eligible for this residence permit category. Tech Visas also fall within this category.

EU Blue Card

EU Blue Card is an EU residency visa issued to highly qualified non-EU professionals with highly sought skills and qualifications. It is valid for one to four years (depending on the work contract) and allows its holder to work in Portugal and 23 other EU countries.

To qualify for an EU Blue Card, you must:

• Have the highest possible qualification in your field.
• Have a binding work contract or job offer in Portugal or any other EU country for at least 12 months.
• Earn an annual gross salary at least 1.5 times higher than the Portuguese national average.

An EU Blue Card is valid for the duration of your contract or up to 2 years and is renewable for three years at a time. You can apply for a highly skilled worker visa after holding the Blue Card for 18 months.

Training and Volunteer Work Visa

Non-EU nationals taking on unpaid volunteer work and training placements in Portugal lie within this category.

This particular residence permit allows them to stay in Portugal only for one year except for situations where the training or volunteer contract is for longer than one year. An t is not renewable.

Trainees and volunteer work visa holders who want to take up employment after their training can submit a skilled work visa application to SEF once they get a job contract.

They’ll have to apply before their volunteer work visa expires. They’re permitted to start working while waiting for their subordinate work visas if they complete their training before the expiry of their volunteer visa.

You’ll need a tax number and social security registration to obtain a resident permit in Portugal. You can get the tax number before travelling to Portugal or when you arrive in the country.

However, you’ll need a Portuguese bank account to qualify for a tax number. So the first step will be to open a Portuguese bank account.

You can do your social security registration at the Portuguese Social Security Office closest to your residence in Portugal.

After completing your social security registration, you’ll attend an interview with SEF. Embassy authorities in your home country can help you book the appointment after your visa interview, or you can make the appointment once you arrive in Portugal.

During this interview, SEF will collect your biometric data, social security and tax information. You’ll receive your resident permit at the end of the interview. IAS lawyers are experts in Portuguese immigration law.

We will walk you through the details of applying for a residence permit so that you can regularise your documents before the expiry of your visa. Call us on +44 (0)333 305 9375, or contact us online today.

You’ll be required to provide the following documents and the completed application form to get your Portuguese residence permit:

• Valid residence visa.
• Valid passport or any other government-issued travel document.
• Signed employment contract.
• Two recent passport photographs.
• Proof of sufficient funds to support yourself.
• Tax number.
• Proof of Portuguese social security registration.
• Proof that you meet the required Portuguese qualification for a regulated profession.
• Proof of accommodation.
• Police clearance from your former country of residence (where you’ve lived for the last 12 months before moving to Portugal).
• Permission for SEF to check your criminal records.
• Proof of travel health insurance.
• Proof that you founded a company or business (for self employment residence permit).

Application fees differ for the different Portugal work visas. Also, because the visa application process involves several steps, you’ll have to pay more than one fee. The main fees to be paid are:

• €90 for the temporary visa that will allow you to enter Portugal.
• €83 to submit your work residence permit application to SEF.
• €72 to collect your work residence permit from SEF.

Altogether, obtaining a Portuguese residence work visa will cost you €245. There might also be other minor costs, such as making copies and mailing documents.

There’s no fixed processing time for a work visa application in Portugal. The application time is individual application specific and depends on many factors.

It can take up to 60 days to get a Portuguese work permit. After getting the work permit, It will take the Portuguese Embassy another two to three months to issue you an entry visa.