Categories: Politics

Portugal: new work visa law comes into force; understand how it works

Portugal: new work visa law comes into force; understand how it works

New rules around the application of a work visa for Portugal take effect from now on. Citizens of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) – including Brazil, will be covered by the change, as published last Thursday (25), in the Diário da República de Portugal.

With Law No. 18/2022, which covers a new type of work visa in the country, Brazilians will be able to stay in Portugal for 120 days with the possibility of extending this period for another 60 days, in search of work.

If hired during the visa period, the professional may apply for a residence permit (AR) to regularize the housing.

“The visa for looking for work includes a date for scheduling in the competent services for the granting of residence permits, within the 120 days referred to in the previous number, grants the applicant, after the establishment and formalization of the employment relationship in that period, the right to request a residence permit, provided that it fulfills the general conditions for granting a temporary residence permit”, details the law.

If within the stipulated period the citizen cannot find a job, he must leave the country immediately. A new visa application can be made, provided that the period of one year after the expiry of the previous visa is respected.

In addition, people who work remotely, known as “digital nomads”, will be able to apply for residency in Portugal for up to three years.

Workers will be able to apply for a visa while still in Brazil, at the country’s consular posts.

Between the requirements to apply for the new visa in Portugal it will be necessary to present a criminal record and a return ticket to the country of origin at the end of the visa period.

The following are part of the CPLP: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe and Timor-Leste.

Number of Brazilians in Portugal has never been so high

An exclusive survey carried out by the CNN based on data provided by the Portuguese Embassy’s Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), reveals that the number of Brazilians in Portugal has never been so high.

For the most part, the age of Brazilians in Portuguese territory varies between 20 and 49 years. The immigration of Brazilians to the European country has been growing for six consecutive years and reached the mark of 211 thousand people in March 2022.

This number, however, could be even higher. This is because Brazilians with dual citizenship are not counted in the SEF database. People in an irregular migratory situation in the country are also left out of the statistics.

According to the latest estimate by the Itamaraty, around 300,000 Brazilians live in the European country. Check here the growth in the number of Brazilians in Portugal each year.

*With information from Lucas Janone of CNN

Source: CNN Brasil