Moving to Portugal: Relocation Guide

Before you can move employees to Portugal, your company must be registered to ensure it has the capacity to sponsor foreign workers. Once that is complete, prepare a formal work permit application, then submit it along with supporting documentation to the Portuguese Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP).

Some essential documents include:

• Proof of your company's financial stability.
• Justification for hiring a non-EU, EEA, or Swiss worker.
• A detailed description of the employee's qualifications, and a copy of the proposed employment contract.

Once the IEFP approves a work permit, assist the employee with travel arrangements and applying for the appropriate work visa. The employee must also apply for an Autorização de Residência, or residence permit, at the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service within four months of their arrival.

Portugal offers four varieties of residence permits: work, study, family reunification, and a combination permit for medical care or military services. Each residence permit allows third-country nationals to live in Portugal for up to two years; they can be renewed for up to three years. After five years of living in Portugal, visa holders can apply for permanent residency.

The specific qualifications for a work visa in Portugal vary, depending on the visa type. For example:

• Applicants for the Highly Qualified Activity visas must hold a higher education degree (or have equivalent experience) in fields like science, technology, or research. Depending on the specific visa, they may also need some level of work experience.
• Digital Nomad visa applicants must have proof of confident income that meets or exceeds Portugal's minimum wage. Remote workers and freelancers must have documentation of remote work activities completed for clients outside of Portugal.

Is a formal assessment of qualifications required?

The Portuguese National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education (ANQEP) may require a formal assessment of foreign qualifications for some professions. If ANQEP requires your employees to undergo this process, they'll likely need to provide diplomas, school transcripts, and course descriptions.

As with migration to most countries, immigration to Portugal requires significant documentation. Here are the documents employees need to collect early in the process:

• Valid passport 
• Birth certificate
• Marriage license or equivalent (if family members are also moving)
• Diplomas, transcripts, and professional certificates 

Once the employee has received an approved work permit, they will need these documents for the visa application process:

• Passport photos
• Employment contract
• Letter of introduction from the employer
• Proof of health insurance
• Proof of financial means, if required, for their specific visa
• Degree certificate
• Criminal record certificate
• Curriculum vitae

Keep in mind that some documents, especially diplomas and transcripts, may need to be translated into Portuguese for consideration.

Residence permits in Portugal fall into four categories: work, family reunification, study, and healthcare care/military service. Each allows for stays up to two years, with renewals for another three years. After five years of living in Portugal, visa holders may apply for permanent residency.

Here are the most common types of residence permits in the work category:

• Residence permit for employed workers: A general residence permit for employed individuals
• Residence permit for highly skilled activity: This permit covers engineers, legal experts, healthcare professionals, teachers, scientists, and management and business professionals.
• Residence permit for highly qualified activity in tech: A permit for workers in the technology sector. Your company has to be accredited by IAPMEI for employees to qualify.

There's also a path to a residence permit for highly skilled workers known as the EU Blue Card. This is the rough equivalent of the Green Card in the United States. Non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens may qualify for the EU Blue Card if they have highly sought-after skills and appropriate education. After residing in Portugal for 18 months, an EU Blue Card holder is eligible to apply for a residence permit for highly skilled workers.

When applying for a work visa in Portugal, employees must have medical insurance that meets the minimum requirements of the Schengen Area. These types of policies are commonly known as "visa insurance". Most major insurance carriers offer visa insurance, with some policies specifically designed for use in the Schengen Area (including Portugal).

For an expat in Portugal, a visa insurance policy must have a minimum coverage amount of €30,000 and cover expenses throughout the entire Schengen Area, not just Portugal. The policy's duration should cover the work visa's initial period. If the visa is renewed, the visa insurance policy must be renewed for an equal amount of time.

Healthcare in Portugal operates on a hybrid system, with a universal healthcare system available to the public and a network of private providers. The public option—known as the SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde)—isn't typically available to employees on work visas. SNS eligibility requires a residence permit and some time of contributions to Portugal's social security system, so employees on a work visa typically depend on employer-provided health insurance or some other private coverage.