Portugal
Work permit in Portugal.
To work in Portugal without EU, EEA or Swiss citizenship you need a residence and work permit from AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum). The main routes are Residence visa (visto de residência), Temporary residence permit (autorização de residência temporária), Residence permit: highly qualified activity, EU Blue Card (Cartão Azul UE). EU Blue Card: 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary, gross a month: €2,157 a month since 10 October 2026. Permanent residence is possible after 5 years on most routes.
Permit types
The permits Portugal issues
- Residence visa (visto de residência)
- Temporary residence permit (autorização de residência temporária)
- Residence permit: highly qualified activity
- EU Blue Card (Cartão Azul UE)
- Residence permit: Tech Visa
- Residence permit: remote work (digital nomad)
- Residence permit: entrepreneur
- EU citizen's registration certificate (certificado de registo)
- Permanent residence permit (autorização de residência permanente)
- AIMA receipt of the application (comprovativo)
- Social-security certificate (A1 or under an agreement)
Salary levels
What the permit has to pay
Each figure with its legal basis and the official page it comes from.
Minimum monthly wage (RMMG), gross a month
EU Blue Card: 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary, gross a month
EU Blue Card in a profession in shortage: 1.2 times the national average gross annual salary, gross a month
Staying longer
Faster routes and settling
Tech Visa certification (IAPMEI)
a company IAPMEI has certified under the Tech Visa programme names the highly qualified people it hires, who file the visa with its statement
Permanent residence: after 5 years
- Five years on a temporary residence permit in Portugal
- Means of subsistence and accommodation
- Basic Portuguese
EU long-term residence: after 5 years
- Stable and regular resources
- Sickness insurance
- Integration conditions where national law sets them
Citizenship: after 10 years
- Ten years of legal residence, seven for CPLP and EU nationals (Lei Orgânica 1/2026, in force from 19 May 2026)
- A test of Portuguese language and culture
- A declaration of adherence to democratic principles and the means to support oneself
Authorities
Who does what in Portugal
AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum)
Decides residence permits in Portugal and issues the residence card (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo)
Official websiteFinanças (Tax and Customs Authority (AT))
The NIF, income tax and the IFICI regime (Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira)
Official websiteIEFP (Institute for Employment and Vocational Training)
The public employment service
Official websiteOther countries
Official sources
- Lei 23/2007 (foreigners act), consolidated, Diário da República (residence visa four months and two entries, art. 58; temporary residence two years then three, renewal 30 days before expiry and the receipt's 60 days, art. 75 and 78; permanent residence after five years, art. 80; change of address within 60 days, art. 86)
- Lei 61/2025 of 22 October amends Lei 23/2007: the qualified job-seeker visa, the CPLP residence permit only with a residence visa, family reunification after two years (Diário da República)
- Lei 62/2026 of 10 September amends Lei 23/2007: a decision on a residence permit within 90 days, the refusal states the court and the period, a change of employer communicated to AIMA (Diário da República)
- AIMA: Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo
- AIMA, granting the EU Blue Card (art. 121-A ff.): contract of at least six months, 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary, 1.2 times for shortage professions
- AIMA, residence permit for highly qualified activity (art. 90), read 10 October 2026: 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary is €2,157.00 a month, and 1.2 times it €1,725.60 a month for professions in groups 1 and 2 particularly in need of workers (reference values: the average gross annual salary of 2023, the IAS of 2024)
- AIMA: table of fees and charges (Portaria 307/2023), updated 26 February 2026
- AIMA, registration certificate for EU nationals: within 30 days after three months, at the câmara municipal (Lei 37/2006)
- Vistos MNE, types of national visa: the residence visa, valid for two entries and four months, during which the holder asks AIMA for a residence permit
- Vistos MNE: documents for a residence visa (remote work: average monthly income of the last three months of at least four minimum wages)
- Decreto-Lei 139/2025 of 29 December: minimum monthly wage (RMMG) of €920 from 1 January 2026 (Diário da República)
- DGERT, evolution of the minimum monthly wage (RMMG): €870 in 2025 (Decreto-Lei 112/2024)
- Código do Trabalho, consolidated, the Christmas allowance (art. 263) and the holiday allowance (art. 264): fourteen payments a year (Diário da República)
- IAPMEI, Tech Visa: company certification (Portaria 59-A/2022), valid five years, at most 50% of the workers hired through it
- Portal das Finanças: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (AT)
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is the minimum salary for a work permit in Portugal?
Minimum monthly wage (RMMG), gross a month: €920 a month (from 1 January 2026). EU Blue Card: 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary, gross a month: €2,157 a month (from 10 October 2026). EU Blue Card in a profession in shortage: 1.2 times the national average gross annual salary, gross a month: €1,726 a month (from 10 October 2026).
Who issues work permits in Portugal?
AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum): Decides residence permits in Portugal and issues the residence card (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo).
When can someone get permanent residence in Portugal?
After 5 years on most routes. Five years on a temporary residence permit in Portugal. Means of subsistence and accommodation. Basic Portuguese.
When can someone get eu long-term residence in Portugal?
After 5 years on most routes. Stable and regular resources. Sickness insurance. Integration conditions where national law sets them.
How does Settio help with work permits in Portugal?
Settio builds the step-by-step plan for each person moving to Portugal, checks documents before filing, tracks deadlines and gives the person a portal in their own language.
More
- Relocating to Portugal: the first weeks
- Relocation and immigration across Europe
- AI immigration compliance
Informational only. This guide is not legal advice. Always verify requirements with official government sources before acting. Facts checked 3 October 2026. About this information