Portugal Work Visas & Permits

Portugal is one of the appealing choices for businesses looking to grow into the global market. Many of your workers would need visas and work permits if your company plans to expand operations in Portugal.

Working with a global GEO to prepare an international expansion for your business will reduce your workload. We know how to get a work visa in Portugal at AtoZ Serwis Plus, and we can handle the whole procedure for your employees. As the Employer of Record, we may also recruit workers on your behalf.

Types of Work Visas in Portugal

Portugal is a European Union member (EU). Other EU citizens are not required to obtain a work permit in order to work in Portugal. They do not need a visa, but they must apply for a residency card within six months of arriving in Portugal for work.

Foreign workers are required to have the proper visas and work permits in Portugal, as established by immigration laws.  Work permits must be secured for employees, and sponsored by a locally licensed and incorporated entity, which can be a problem for companies just entering the Portuguese market.  If you have yet to complete the incorporation process you can use an outsourced management company or GEO Employer of Record to sponsor the employee for the necessary permits.

Have your own Company

The process of hiring a foreign national in Portugal involves obtaining both a work permit (Autorização de Trabalho) and an entry visa for Non EU citizens, while Nationals of an EU country simply require a Residence Permit (Cartão de Residência). Portugal is also part of the Schengen Area, which allows free transit between Schengen countries with a Schengen visa.

For a foreign company to begin hiring employees, the company is not required to have a local entity incorporated to employ local workers in Portugal, although certain registration duties must be adhered.

The process is as follows:

1. Registration of the foreign entity with the relevant authorities

The foreign entity must obtain a Portuguese tax number within the National Registry of Collective Bodies (Registo Nacional de Pessoas Colectivas, “RNPC”). Supporting documents must be submitted to prove its legal existence in the home country of the foreign entity.

The company must register with the Portuguese Tax and Customs Authority (Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira). A tax representative must be appointed for the foreign company who must be a Portuguese resident.

The company must register with Social Security (Segurança Social). If no local entity has been incorporated for the foreign company, the employee must act as the company’s representative for their social security. It is common for foreign companies to hire accounting services and payroll firms to comply with tax and social security duties.

Incorporation of the company is not a required step, although it does require the above steps to be carried out, in addition to obtaining a Validation Certificate (Certificado de Admissibilidade) issued by RNPC, registering a company name at the Commercial Registry and submitting a Start of Activity Declaration to the Tax Office among other mandatory formalities. The process of incorporation is designed to be streamlined as one stop shops, with the Create a Company in an Hour scheme (Empresa na Hora) administered by Centro de Formalidades das Empresas (CFE) who will facilitate the process.

2. Obtaining a visa

For foreign nationals who are not from EU/EEA Member States or from the Schengen area requires a visa, which can be a Short Stay Visa, Temporary Stay Visa or a Residence Visa/Blue Card. The employment of foreign nationals is governed by Law no. 223/2007 and Decree no. 84/2007 which provide the legal framework for the hiring of foreign nationals.

The process for obtaining a visa is as follows:

The foreign national submits an application for a visa to the Portuguese Consulate of the employee’s country of residence, or at Portuguese Immigration Services (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras, “SEF”) if they are in Portugal.

The relevant documents must be submitted with the application, including:

• Valid passport with at least 2 blank pages
• One coloured passport photo
• Document for purpose of trip, e.g. letter of invitation from employer
• Flight reservation documents or itinerary for multi-area visits
• Health and accident insurance
• Bank statements as proof of sufficient funds (Minimum is €40 plus €75 per country visited)
• Proof of accommodation, E.g., hotel reservation or address of residence
• Biometric data, E.g. fingerprints and digital photos

The employee is provided the visa to Portugal who is then legally allowed to enter the country.

Time: 2 – 3 months depending on visa

Please contact us for a quote.

3. Obtaining a work permit (Autorização de residência)

For workers who are intending to stay in Portugal for longer than six months, the residence card or work permit must be obtained for employees who are not from the EU/EEA region. A temporary permit is valid for 1 year and renewable for an additional 2 years. The permanent residence permit is indefinitely valid as long as it is renewed every 5 years.

It is more difficult to secure a work permit if the employee is from a non-EU/EEA country, unless they possess specialized skills or if there are no qualified Portuguese workers who may fill the position.

There are several types of residence permits, although most are functionally similar to regular work permit. They include:

• Residence permits for professional activities
• Residence permits for research
• Residence permits for investment business
• EU Blue Card residence permits (Highly qualified activities)

The process for obtaining a work permit is as follows:

An application is submitted by the employee or by the employer on behalf of the employee at the regional directorate or the Delegation of the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras, “SEF”).

The necessary documents must be submitted with the permit application, including:

• Valid passport or travel document
• Valid residence visa
• Two coloured passport photo
• Bank statements as proof of sufficient funds
• Proof of accommodation
• Criminal record checks
• Proof of Portuguese proficiency (Only in some cases)
• The employment contract with the employer
• Any relevant tax documents
• Registration of the employee with Social Security

The employee is provided the residency permit which allows him/her to work under the foreign employer in Portugal legally.

Processing time: Up to 60 days

Please contact us for a quote. Fees can vary depending on type of visa, nationality of applicant, country of application and other circumstances.

4. Arrival procedures

Once the employee has been invited to work for an employer in Portugal and the visa and work permit has been obtained, the employee may travel to Portugal. Upon arrival, the employee must:

• Obtain their Residency Card (Cartão de Residencia) from SEF
• Sign up with Social Security (Segurança Social)
• Obtain a Tax Code (Numero Fiscal de Contribuinte) from the local branch of the Director General of Taxes (Direcçaõ-Geral dos Impostos)

The Social Security and Tax departments will require:

• Valid passport
• Authorized photocopies of the employee’s tax returns from the previous three years in their country of residence
• National Insurance Number

Once the steps above have been adhered to and successfully completed, the employee may commence employment.

Outsourcing Employment Through a GEO Employer of Record Service

When entering a new market, businesses must make numerous decisions, including whether to integrate in Portugal and what type of organisation to form.

If a business plans to hire employees in Portugal, it must determine whether to manage payroll and other Employer of Record obligations internally or through a Global Jobs Organization. A GEO Employer of Record solution is a compelling option in situations where.

• the company is looking to setup an office quickly
• the company wants to work within a defined budget
• the company wants to limit its initial commitment in Portugal
• the company needs help with tax, employment, immigration and payroll compliance in Portugal

Because of the complexities of employment legislation in Portugal, using a GEO in conjunction with local legal counsel is recommended to ensure full compliance with employment laws, such as the drafting of local worker contracts.

In Portugal, AtoZ Serwis Plus GEO offers a robust service that enables businesses to rapidly deploy their personnel at fair, clearly stated costs and timelines. The business has a direct deal with AtoZ Serwis Plus to hire and pay their employees in Portugal.

The Employer of Record is then AtoZ Serwis Plus GEO. AtoZ Serwis Plus GEO takes legal responsibility for these workers, sponsoring them for work permits, ensuring compliance with local labour laws, and processing their monthly payroll. The quickest and most cost-effective way to deploy local and foreign staff into Portugal is to use AtoZ Serwis Plus GEO.  Read more about outsourced employment through AtoZ Serwis Plus GEO.