Portugal Job Seeker Visa

What is the Portugal Job Seeker Visa?

The Portuguese government announced the job seeker visa in 2022 to combat the shortage of skilled workers in the country. With the visa, non-EU nationals can enter Portugal without a job offer.

The visa holder can stay in Portugal for 120 days (4 months) while they look for employment in the area where they are skilled.

If the visa holder finds a job within those 120 days, they can apply for a work and residence permit. However, if the visa holder does not get a job within that time frame, they can apply for a 60-day (2-month) extension.

After the extension, if the visa holder cannot secure a job, they must leave the country immediately.

The visa holder can do menial jobs while looking for a job or waiting for the work or residence permit to be granted.

Portugal Job Seeker Visa Requirements

Here are the eligibility requirements for the Portugal job seeker visa:

Non- EU National

This visa is specifically made to attract talents from outside the EU, so you are not eligible for the visa if you are a citizen of any EU country.

Again, members of the EU can visit any country in the EU to study, work and live as long as they want without immigration restrictions. So, there is no point in an EU national applying for the visa.

Clean Criminal History

The Portuguese government is serious about checking the criminal history of people they allow to enter their country. If you have any record of having committed and being convicted of a criminal offence, the chances of getting a successful visa application are low.

The SEF will ask for your permission to run a background on you when applying for the visa. It is essential their background check on you comes out clean. If not, your job seeker visa will be rejected.

Valid Passport Requirement

Before applying for a job seeker visa, you must ensure your passport is valid. Its validity should extend to 3 months after the visa you are applying for must have expired.

Health Insurance Requirement

Since you are not yet a tax resident, you cannot contribute to the Social Security System and, therefore, cannot access public healthcare. Hence, you must show the consulate that you have an insurance policy covering you while you look for work in Portugal. This policy should be worth at least €30,000.

Financial Requirement

Even though you are coming to Portugal to seek a job. You must prove you have enough money to care for yourself while looking for a job.

Typically, you need to show that you have the value of a month’s minimum wage in Portugal for 3 months. The minimum monthly salary is €760. So you must show you have at least €2,280 in savings before your visa is approved.

Required Documents for Job Seeker Visa Application

You have to add your supporting documents when making a job seeker visa application to Portugal. Here are some documents that you need to present:

• A valid passport or travel document. This needs to be valid for at least 3 months after your job seeker visa expires.
• A passport or travel document’s biodata page.
• A national visa application form. Upon completion of the form, you must sign it. Applications with unsigned forms are rejected outrightly. You can get this form from the Portuguese consulate website of the country where you are applying for.
• A passport photograph that is recent and meets the Portuguese consulate photograph standards.
• A copy of the criminal history certificate issued by the relevant authority from your country of residence in the past year or your home country.
• A filled consent form for Immigration and Border Services (SEF) to do a background check on you. You can get the form at the Portuguese official website.
• A proof of legal status. This is vital if you are applying for a visa from a country where you do not hold citizenship. This can be your residence permit or green card.

• A copy of your health insurance certificate showing you have a policy that is worth €30000.
• A copy of your flight itinerary. It must show your booked flights to and fro. This convinces the consulate that you intend to leave Portugal if your visa expires.
• A bank statement showing that you have at least €2,280, which should cover your living expenses for three months.
• If you do not have the financial means, you can ask a friend or family in Portugal to send you a sponsorship letter.
• A completed IEPF form showing that you have signed or intend to sign up with the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training once you set foot in Portugal.
• A copy of the approved IEFP form.
• A proof of accommodation. This can be a rental agreement or a hotel or Airbnb booking.
• A letter explaining why you plan on seeking a job in Portugal.
• A copy of your resume.

The Application Process for Portugal Job Seeker Visa

To apply for the Portugal job seeker visa, register with the IEFP and declare your interest. You can get this form from the IEFP website. The form will ask for your details and the work you are involved in.

If your application is successful, you will get an email from IEFP. This is what permits you to go to the next stage. Note that just getting approval from IEFP does not mean you were given the permit to enter Portugal. It is simply a green light to apply for a visa.

Next, start your application at the website of the Portuguese consulate. You can also do so at any visa application centre. For Portuguese visas, VFS Global is in charge of processing their visa applications.

Choose the type of visa you are applying for and complete the form that will be presented to you. When you are done with the online application, submit your application.

Do note that the Portugal job seeker visa application cannot be completed online. You must schedule an appointment where you must submit all your supporting documents. After doing this at any Portuguese consulate, embassy or VFS application centre, an interview will be scheduled for you.

Attend your interview with your supporting documents.

Portugal Job Seeker Visa Cost

The Portuguese government lists no specific cost. The fees you are required to pay depends on the country you are applying from. However, you can plan to pay:

• Between €75 to €80 at the Portuguese consulate or embassy you are applying from
• €170 for your resident permit. You must pay for this in Portugal so SEF can process your application

Processing Time

There is no specific duration for the Portuguese authorities to process and make a decision on your application. The time is dependent on where you applied and the workload of the application centre at that time.

Typically, it takes anywhere from 30 to 90 days to get a decision on your application.

If you want to know the exact time it will take to decide, you may have to visit any embassy or consulate to know.

Validity and Extension of Job Seeker Visa

Your Portugal job seeker visa is valid for 120 days (4 months). You can only enter Portugal once with the permit. Upon approval of your visa application, you are given a date within 4 months to get a job. If you do not get a job by that time, you can apply for an extension after the 120 days elapse.

The extension can only be done once and is valid for 60 days (2 months).

Benefits of Portugal Job Seeker Visa

The best part of this Portugal work visa is that you do not need a job offer from a Portuguese employer to apply. You can enter the country and look for jobs that need and suit your expertise.

You also have the chance to explore the labour market in Portugal without any restrictions. Staying in Portugal with a job seeker visa is better than looking for jobs outside of Portugal. Employers will find hiring someone already in the country easier than someone outside of Portugal.

You can also stay in the country for 120 days, with the possibility of an extension of 60 days to look for employment.

How Can IAS Help?

IAS has expert immigration and employment lawyers that can guide you in making your job seeker visa application. We can help you make an application that can enable you to explore the Portuguese labour market.

We can help you prepare all the documents you need to make your application and provide you with details on the application process and eligibility.

We are aware that a visa refusal can be disheartening. That is why we dedicate our time to advise you on how to get the best outcome for your application.

For more information about our services and how we can help you, do not hesitate to contact a team member online. You can also call us at 0333 305 9375 today.