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Portugal occupies the westernmost point of Europe, situated on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The country’s long Atlantic coastline is renowned for its scenic beauty, attracting both visitors and locals alike. Highlights of Portugal’s geography include:
Coastline: Portugal’s extensive Atlantic coastline is a magnet for surfers seeking strong waves in the west and tourists enjoying the warm, sandy beaches in the south.
Population Distribution: The majority of Portugal’s population resides along the coast, particularly in the major metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto.
Portugal’s diverse landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and welcoming atmosphere make it a captivating destination in southwestern Europe.
In order to immigrate to Portugal from India, an Indian national will need to apply for and obtain a long-term visa. This can be issued for various purposes, such as a working (as an employee or independently), for study or training as well as scientific research or family reunification when applicable.
India residents who wish to travel to Portugal need to submit their application at a center in New Delhi or Mumbai. The Embassy of Portugal in New Delhi or the Consulate General of Portugal in Goa assesses the applications.
There are various conditions that apply according to the type of visa chosen to travel to Portugal for longer periods of time and we recommend that applicants get in touch with our Portugal immigration agents who can offer personalized information according to their situation.
Employment Visa: Indian nationals can apply for a residency visa for employment purposes, whether as an employee with a confirmed job offer or as a self-employed individual. This requires presenting an employment contract or proof of self-employment, along with a business plan or investment details.
Research Visa: Individuals engaged in scientific research through a program or agreement with a Portuguese university or research institution can apply for a residency visa for research purposes.
Study Visa: Indian nationals wishing to pursue studies or training in Portugal can apply for a residency visa for study purposes. This option facilitates moving to Portugal for educational opportunities.
Family Reunification Visa: For Indian individuals seeking to reunite with family members, such as spouses, parents, or siblings, a residency visa for family reunification can be obtained. This allows joining family members who are already residing in Portugal.
The Portugal Golden Visa is a residency by investment program aimed at non-EU/EEA citizens seeking permanent residency.
The Portuguese government launched the Golden Visa program in October 2012 to boost the country’s economy by driving foreign investment. Today, the program is one of the most popular of its kind in the world and has raised over €6 billion.
With a range of investment options from real estate property to capital transfers, the program grants you a residency permit to live, work and study in Portugal. The country offers a high quality of life and affordable living costs. Those who qualify also benefit from greater freedom of movement, with visa-free access to 188 countries, including European Union countries in the Schengen Area.
The program also offers long-term benefits. Applicants can apply for Portuguese citizenship, permanent residence and an EU passport after holding residency status for five years. Portugal citizenship by investment is becoming increasingly popular due to the high standards of living that Portuguese residents enjoy.
Living in Portugal is subject to a set of rules for the foreign national who has obtained a residence permit. The holder is entitled to fair and equal treatment, is entitled to social security and fiscal benefits, can participate in unions and may have his or her diplomas and/or a qualification recognized in Portugal.
As far as the duties of a residence permit holder are concerned, these relate to timely submissions and communications to the Foreigners and Borders Service as well as observing other rules. Our Portugal immigration agents list some of the most important duties below:
Long-term residence in Portugal is the main goal for foreign nationals who arrive in the country relocation purposes, including Indian nationals. A permanent residence permit is applied for with the Foreigners and Borders Service and the application is delivered in person, signed by the applicant or the legal representative, as applicable. A number of documents are required for this process and, in order to acquire the permanent resident status, Indian nationals will need to provide proof that they have satisfactory Portuguese language knowledge. The other required documents include the following:
International individuals who wish to work and stay for longer than 90 days in Portugal may apply for a Portugal residence permit. The residence permit is usually long-term, from one year up to three years. You may be eligible for different types of permits depending on the reason why you are moving to Portugal and how long you plan to stay.
These visas are always short-term, usually only 3 or 4 months. They are issued by a Portuguese Embassy for the sole purpose of granting the applicant entry into Portugal before registering as a resident. Once a foreigner enters Portugal with their residency visa they have four months to register at the Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) to get their residence permit.
These permits are temporary, usually valid for a year, and can be renewed annually depending on how long the applicant needs to stay in Portugal. Holders of a temporary permit can switch to a permanent residence permit when they have lived in Portugal for at least five years.
Permanent permits are available to those who wish to continue living indefinitely in Portugal; those who don’t plan to do so can continue extending their temporary permit.
Here is a list of different types of Portugal residence permits:
You can receive a Portuguese residence permit for work if you have secured employment in Portugal. In order to qualify for this residence permit, the job position you applied for must have not been filled by an EU national within the last month.
When you want to apply for the permit your employer must start the application for the work permit at the Portuguese Labor Authorities. Afterward, you apply for a visa at the local embassy in your country of residence.
Once you have been granted a residency (entry) visa, you must travel to Portugal, where you can apply for a residence permit at the Immigration and Borders Service (SEF). Your first residence permit is issued for a year, but it can be extended according to your needs and your employment contract.
In terms of work permit there are several types depending on the work you will be doing:
A residence permit for students in Portugal is given to international students outside the EU who have been accepted into an educational institution in Portugal. This permit is also valid for a year and can be renewed every year for the duration of your study program.
If you want to stay in Portugal after you finish your studies you must have a job so you can switch to a Portugal work visa.
You must apply for this type of residence permit if you want to move to Portugal to join a close family member who is either a resident in Portugal or a citizen. A family member includes:
The permit is valid for the same amount of time as the residence permit of the Portuguese resident. In cases of partners who have been married for 5 years then the permit initially is valid for two years and then it can be renewed every three years. The holders of this permit can work freely and study in Portugal and after five years they can apply for a permanent residence.
A Portugal residence permit can be issued based on some specific situations. These all depend on the unique situation of the applicant, however, some of the most common types of special situations residence permits include:
These are the documents you need to prepare when you apply for a Portugal residence permit:
There are several benefits you gain as a holder of a Portugal residence permit:
The first residence permit is usually valid for a year. You have to renew your permit yearly, and after the first year, your permit may be extended to a two-year permit.
After five years of temporary residence permits, you can switch to a permanent residence permit.
A residence permit for study purposes is valid for the same amount of the length of your study program, but you must also extend it yearly and once your study program is over your permit is no longer valid. You cannot switch to permanent residency with a student permit.
You can apply for Portuguese citizenship after living for a long time in Portugal. After five years of living with a temporary residence permit, you can apply for a permanent permit and one or two years later you can apply for citizenship.
There are three categories of Portuguese visas:
The Short Stay visa, or Schengen Visa, is for stays of up to a maximum of 90 days in any 180 day period. It can be granted for purposes of tourism, family visits, business, temporary work, airport transit, or other stays in Portugal of a temporary or seasonal nature. The Schengen Visa allows you to travel around the Schengen Area countries for the duration of the visa.
You should make a Schengen Visa application at the Portuguese embassy or consulate in your home country no more than six months and no later than 15 days before your trip to Portugal. You can find information on Portuguese embassies and consulates worldwide here.
The following are exempt from Schengen Visa fees:
This is the 90-day visa for general purposes such as tourism, family visits, and short-term work or business. You will need to submit the following along with your application form:
This is a visa for work of a specific seasonal nature in one of the following sectors:
You will need to provide the following along with your application form:
Temporary Stay visas are Portuguese national visas that allow you to stay in Portugal for up to one year. The visa allows multiple entries, meaning that you can leave the country for short periods.
All third-country nationals staying in Portugal for more than 90 days and less than a year need a Temporary Stay visa, except family members (spouse, dependent children, adopted children, parents, or dependent minor siblings) of Portuguese residents and other EU / EGTA nationals.
The fee for the Temporary Stay visa in Portugal is €75. The following are exempt from paying:
You will need to provide the following for all Temporary Stay visas in Portugal, along with the completed application form:
Below is specific information on the different types of Temporary Stay Portuguese visas.
For any employment in Portugal lasting between 90 days and one year. The Portuguese work visa can be for purposes such as long-term seasonal work, self-employed or freelance work, scientific or academic work, amateur sports activity, or any other skilled work.
Additional documentation required includes:
For any study in Portugal lasting between 90 days and one year. This includes secondary, graduate, or postgraduate education. In addition to general documentation, you will need to provide confirmation that you have been accepted onto a study course at an accredited Portuguese educational institution along with proof that the course lasts no longer than one year.
Also known as the Residency Visa, this is a Portuguese national visa for stays longer than one year. With this visa, you will need to apply for a Portuguese residency permit from the Portugal Immigration Service (SEF).
Information on who needs this visa and where to apply is the same as for the Temporary Stay visa. The application form is also the same. However, the deadline for making an application is different (60 days rather than 30 days) and the cost is more expensive (€90). The exemption categories are the same as for the Temporary Stay visa.
For all Portuguese residency visa applications, you will need to provide (along with the completed application form):
Below is additional information on the specific types of Portuguese long-stay residence visas.
This is for any long-term or permanent work placement that is for a period longer than one year. Additional documentation you need to provide includes:
This is a special Portuguese visa program that is designed to attract foreign investment into Portugal. The Portuguese golden visa scheme speeds up the process for foreign investors from non-EU countries if they buy Portuguese real estate or invest up to a certain value. Provided they meet the conditions, under this scheme non-EU citizens will receive a Portuguese residence permit and can later apply for full Portuguese citizenship.
If you plan to look for a job in Portugal, prepare yourself by researching the job market before moving and set realistic expectations for yourself. You may find some obstacles to finding a job in Portugal. There are a growing number of graduates and so competition in the job market has increased, yet there are still shortages for high skilled workers and in growing industries.
Unemployment in Portugal has come down significantly in recent years, from around 12.4% in 2016 to 5.6% as of June 2020. Youth unemployment remains much higher, measuring at 25.6%.
Portugal’s main industries include tourism, textiles, and footwear, hospitality, automotive, construction, electronics, and transportation. The country doesn’t attract as many foreign workers as the bigger European economies, however, there has been a growth of working-age migrants in recent years and they now make up around 3.2% of the active working Portuguese population.
The biggest Portuguese companies are:
In addition to these, multinational companies with a strong presence in Portugal include Nestlé, Nokia, and Samsung.
The tourism industry is vital to Portugal’s economy, with a variety of seasonal and part-time jobs on offer across the industry, particularly in hotels and catering. In recent years, the call center industry has also boomed, offering good opportunities for multi-lingual workers, while the automotive trade and repair sector and construction showed some job growth.
Skills shortages have been reported in a number of sectors including:
Other major industries in Portugal include:
The capital city of Lisbon is home to a number of global companies including:
Some of the most in demand job roles for foreigners in Portugal are:
Getting a job in a call centre is incredibly easy, and requires nearly no qualifications at all. All you will need is to speak English, and another language is a bonus. You’ll need to keep your nerve too, as it can be long hours and tough work cold-calling the whole day through.
Teleperformance is a worldwide call center, with offices not only in Lisbon, but also in Porto, Setúbal, and Convilhã.
You can easily search the website for jobs, and filter your search for opportunities by language, including:
Roles with Teleperformance are sometimes directly for the company, and sometimes subcontracting for organizations like Microsoft (which is not limited to customer support, but also other roles). Depending on the role, salaries start at €9 per hour, and workers generally speak positively of the office environment.
Freelancing and living in Portugal is a hugely attractive option to a lot of people these days. If living in a beautiful sunny country and working flexible hours sounds like a dream, consider freelancing in Portugal.
Opportunities to freelance for Portuguese companies are mainly in:
There’s a shortage of skilled workers in:
The Portuguese government reviews the minimum wage annually. In 2020, it stands at €635 a month based on 14 payments a year, or €740.80 based on 12 monthly payments. This works out at an hourly rate of around €4.64.
The average Portuguese salary as of mid-2019 is€1188.06 a month . This makes it one of the lower-paying countries within the EU.
Portuguese business culture focuses on building close relationships. The family has played an important role in business in Portugal over the years and many businesses are still family-run.
Larger organizations tend to be more hierarchical than in many northern and central European countries. Meetings and negotiations are often more personal than people from countries such as the UK or Germany are used to. Decisions are usually left to the most senior staff. Long business lunches are common and it’s not unusual for them to take place in a business partner’s home.
Employees in Portugal typically work 40-hour weeks (eight hours per day). Employment law does allow flexibility in certain instances up to a limit of 60 hours per week (12 hours per day).
Full-time employees are entitled to annual leave of 22 days, on top of the compulsory nine days of public holidays.
Employment contracts in Portugal work similarly to many European countries, with permanent, fixed-term, part-time, and intermittent work contracts the most common methods of employment.
Notice periods in Portugal tend to vary according to years of service. Minimum notice periods are:
Coraledu offers reliable visa services for all countries. Our team of experienced Visa experts will guide you through the process step-by-step, from verifying your documents to the submission of your visa documents to the Portugal Embassy. We also have a dedicated call center to answer all your queries regarding your Portugal work and settle visa application.
