Working in Portugal as an expat

Portugal offers employees in the country a friendly and stress-free environment to work in. For ex-pats, looking to get a job and work in the country for a long, it’s best to meet up with all qualifications of the job you desire. One of which is fluency in Portuguese. These days, lots of companies in the country offer employment to foreigners from all parts of the world; increasing the number of ex-pats already living in the country. Despite the massive employment, only those with required skills in IT and other fields are employed. To get a job as a foreigner, you must be able to speak the language except in certain cases where other languages are desired.

This guide covers how to get a job in Portugal as a foreigner, the average salary to expect, language requirements, and other things you should know about working in Portugal.

Getting a job as an ex-pat

To reside in a foreign country, you must have a purpose. Getting a job in a foreign establishment is one of them. There’s always high competition when it comes to working in Portugal; to succeed, you need to be eligible to work in the country.

Work eligibility

As an EU member state, Portugal grants citizens from other EU countries free access to live and work in the country. They do not need visas or work permits; just registering their address with the city hall is enough. For non-EU Nationals, the process is quite different. You will firstly have to get a job contract, apply for a visa, and then a residence permit when you arrive in the country. If you do not qualify for a job, you won’t be issued a visa or permit.

The job markets

Unemployment exists in all countries and Portugal is not left out too. For ex-pats who can’t speak Portuguese, this puts them at a disadvantage. Fortunately, with the recent increase in international companies in the country, ex-pats now find it easier to get jobs. There are job opportunities in IT, technology, real estate, and several other fields. Your proficiency in other languages such as German might give you an edge over other applicants. The best way to work in Portugal is by getting a job before leaving your home country. You will find lots of job opportunities online on platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook Jobs, etc. and if you know the company’s website, you can find job openings there. Always keep an eye out for recruitment pages.

Applying for a job as an ex-pat

When you want to apply for work, you should follow their style of writing CV and interview methods.

When writing a Portuguese CV, you have to divide it into three sections. The first part should have your details, then your most recent professional experience, and your most recent degrees and qualifications. Remember to keep your CVs short…one or two pages at most. You can submit your CV in English, provided you don’t speak Portuguese.

Language Requirement

As a foreigner, to communicate fluently with others, you will need to speak at least Portuguese, English, or German. Your proficiency in the official language will help not only during work hours but outside work too. Although some Portuguese speak English, there are still a few who don’t. Communicating with such people might delay your work. Some jobs require conversational skills in Portuguese; without this, your application might be rejected. Therefore, if you are interested in working in Portugal, learn a bit about the language.

Average Salary for workers

The average salary is around a thousand euros gross. However, this isn’t fixed. Workers who are highly qualified receive an average of around 1800 EUR gross, while others receive below a thousand EUR. Annual salaries differ by profession, qualification, years of experience, position, etc. The average annual salary for a highly skilled job is about 22,500 EUR.

The minimum wage set by law is 600 EUR a month, which is not subject to tax. However, you have to pay social security; an 11% rate of your income. Whether as an employee or self-employed, making contributions to social security is compulsory, as there are some benefits to enjoy.

Other Forms of employment

Self-Employment

This is when you choose to work for yourself by setting up your own company. Whether you want to be a sole proprietor or a freelancer, you have to first register your business with Finanças. As a sole proprietor, you won’t need to pay much tax unless your business turnover exceeds 200,000 EUR.

Setting up a company

You can set up a company hiring more than one employee, such as a Public Limited Company, Liability Partnership, cooperative, etc. To avoid any issues while running your business, hire the services of an accountant.