Work and current vacancies in Portugal for foreigners in 2021

1. Vacancies
2. Salaries
3. Search
4. Employment
5. Advantages and disadvantages

The unique culture, the hospitality of the locals, and numerous beaches attract those who are tired of the cold winter at home and dream of moving to the ocean. Many are also attracted by the country's membership in the European Union, because working in Portugal promises a career start and the opportunity to receive a European salary. In addition, the European Union monitors at the legislative level that workers’ rights are respected and working conditions comply with accepted international standards. Highly qualified specialists are in demand in Portugal. There are many vacancies here for seasonal work as well. Who is expected in the country and what requirements are presented - in detail in the material.

Available work in Portugal

Available areas of activity for Russians in 2021 are seasonal work in the hotel and restaurant business, temporary employment in agriculture and fishing. Highly qualified specialists can apply for vacancies of large international companies. Employment in IT and medicine is relevant. There is always work in Portugal. The most popular professions among those with a diploma and experience are:

• programmers, computer technology specialists, IT engineers;
• doctors of various fields and nursing staff;
• lawyers;
• economists, accountants and bank employees;
• foreign language teachers and translators.

Specialists require confirmation of diploma, qualifications and mandatory knowledge of the Portuguese language. Fluency in English will be a definite plus. Separately, it is necessary to highlight doctors and health workers. For them, nostrification of the diploma is mandatory, which implies actual retraining. But if you successfully complete it, you can not only find employment under a contract, but also open your own office or private clinic.

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For persons without professional education, offers of seasonal work in the tourism field are suitable. Waiters, cooks, bartenders, administrators and cleaners are always in demand for the season. Jobs as maids and dishwashers are open to women. Typically, a diploma is not required when applying for these jobs (there are exceptions), but you shouldn’t count on large salaries either: they usually pay the approved minimum. Seasonal workers are also required to harvest fruits in gardens, vegetables in greenhouses and berries on plantations. Such work is physically difficult and is not suitable for everyone, but you can get such a job without knowing the language. Also in Portugal, builders of all profiles are in demand: painters and plasterers, masons, façade designers, tilers and welders. Loaders are needed for food warehouses, truck drivers are also needed (having a license with open categories is required) and sellers. For these vacancies, the employer specifies a minimum salary in the contract, but you can count on receiving bonuses or allowances.

What criteria are used to select candidates for a job?

Getting a legal job occurs in full compliance with the legislation of the European Union. Applicants from Portugal are considered first, then applicants from EU member states, and only then all others. If there are no people willing to fill the vacant position from the first two zones, then a work permit is issued for a period of 6 months. The following criteria are taken into account:

• presence or absence of a European diploma;
• knowledge of Portuguese;
• knowledge of English;
• work experience in the specialty;
• availability of letters of recommendation;
• availability of European-style advanced training certificates.

If the employee has performed well, wants to continue cooperation, and the employer fully agrees with him, then he extends the contract and visa for another six months.

If a foreigner works in Portugal for a long time, he has the right to register temporary residence with a work visa. This will allow him to have the opportunity to apply for a residence permit. If a person has officially worked in the country for 6 years, then he has the right to apply for citizenship.

Salary level

Government data shows that the minimum wage in the country from 2021 is €635 per month if salaries are paid 14 times throughout the year and almost €741 if payments are made 12 times. Statistics agencies state that the average salary in the country in 2021 is €1,158 before taxes, leaving approximately €852 after all deductions. Specialists with higher education and experience earn up to €1,415 per month, skilled workers - about €718, workers without qualifications - €670. Managers' salaries exceed €2,500 per month. The salary level depends not only on the specialty, qualifications and experience, but also on the specific region (in large cities, salaries are higher than in remote regions). As for the division by profession, the average monthly salary looks like this:

• company managers – €2500-3000;
• doctors – €2000;
• programmers and IT specialists – from €1850;
• engineers – €1700;
• university teachers – €1000-1300 depending on position and scientific degree;
• designers and managers – €1100-1200;
• apartment renovation finishers and plasterers – 1,000;
• seamstresses in the workshop – €1,000;
• pharmacists – €975;
• secretaries – €950;
• storekeepers in food warehouses – 800;
• artists – €800;
• locksmith – €800;
• cleaners of rooms in a five-star hotel and waiters – €700;
• workers in the agricultural industry – €600-700;
• loaders, truck drivers and couriers – 600-700.

Average monthly salaries in Portugal are lower than in higher-income European countries.

Salary Features

Salary depends not only on the chosen vacancy, but also on the internal rules of international companies.

Table of salaries in different countries

Today, average salaries in large Portuguese companies are as follows:

• A qualified programmer earns about a thousand euros;
• University teachers can count on a salary of 1000–1300 euros;
• Representatives of the service sector receive about seven hundred euros per month.

The salary of doctors who have confirmed their qualifications is twice as high. Unfortunately, in order for this vacancy to bring real profit, Ukrainian doctors often have to retrain. The obvious advantage of this “penalty” is the opportunity to open your own office or clinic.

How to find a job in Portugal?

You can look for work in Portugal in several ways: through specialized Internet portals and advertisements in the local press, using social networks and recruitment agencies. It’s best to start viewing vacancies on the official website of the Portuguese Employment Service, and then you can move on to exploring all available online employment portals. The most popular of them are:

• www.jobs.com is an international job search portal. Operates for more than 20 years;
• www.careerjet.pt – contains vacancies (helpdesk) for specialists who speak Portuguese, English and Russian equally well. Also here are offers from Portuguese employers cooperating with the Russian Federation;
• www.jobsinlisbon.com is a portal for professionals who speak English at a very high level. Offers work not only in Portugal, but also in other EU countries;
• www.iefp.pt – website of the IEFP (Institute of Employment and Training). State programs are implemented here: vacancies are offered without intermediaries;
• www.itjobs.pt – a resource that helps you find a job in the IT field. The best offers for programmers, administrators and software developers have been collected.

In the Portuguese press “The Portugal News”, “Jornal de Noticias”, “Expresso”, “Diario de Noticias” read the sections work/vacancies/employment in Portugal. It is not necessary to purchase printed versions of the publications: they are also presented in the online version. You can search for vacancies through social networks. The Portuguese segment is most fully covered by linkedin.com and meetup.com. You can also contact a private recruitment agency. In practice, agencies solve assigned tasks faster, but you will have to pay for the services provided. Before you trust such an intermediary, you should carefully study reviews about the activities of this company, and even better, communicate with established clients so as not to become a victim of fraud.

Employment procedures in Portugal

The employment process consists of several stages. The algorithm for their sequence is as follows:

1. Searching for a vacancy, writing a resume and undergoing interviews.
2. Conclusion of a contract.
3. Obtaining a work permit. This stage can be started after the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP) has verified that there are no candidates for the vacancy among Portuguese and European citizens. The verification may last more than a month. If there are no applicants, you can apply for a work permit in Portugal.
4. Opening a visa. If there is an employment contract, an invitation from the employer and a work permit, the package is supplemented with the required documents and submitted to the Portuguese consulate closest to the place of residence.
5. Registration of residence permit. Upon arrival in the country you need to obtain a residence permit. To do this, you need to contact the Portuguese Department of Immigration and Border Control (SEF). Depending on the type of work and the open visa, a short-term residence permit is provided, valid from 3 to 12 months, or a long-term one. It is issued for 5 years with the right of extension.

For seasonal workers, it is also mandatory to go through all of the above stages.

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Required documents

Official employment for Russians is impossible without a work permit in Portugal, issued on the basis of signing a work contract between the employer and the applicant. It is also necessary to obtain a visa, which upon arrival must be converted into a residence permit, otherwise the work permit will be invalid. The package must also include a certificate confirming your diploma, certificates of completion of language courses and recommendations from previous jobs.

Requirements for applicants

There are a number of requirements for specialists from Russia. Among the main ones: knowledge of the language, confirmation of a diploma, experience and recommendations from previous jobs. Russians planning to work in Portugal must have sufficient language training. Speaking Portuguese is a requirement for many jobs, and knowing English, Spanish or other languages ​​greatly increases your chances of getting a better-paying job. In the absence of a European diploma, Russians will have to undergo a procedure to confirm their education. To do this, you need to submit to a specialized Portuguese university a diploma received in Russia, and study plans indicating the disciplines completed and hours worked. If necessary, you will have to take an academic difference in subjects. If you successfully pass the exam and approve the submitted documents, a certificate is issued. The diploma confirmation procedure is paid. For a bachelor's degree the cost is about €210, and for a master's degree – €310. In addition, specialists from Russia and other CIS countries undergo qualification confirmation. This can be done in a specialized academic information center (NARIC).

Work permit

For Russians, unlike citizens of the European Union, to work in Portugal you need to obtain a permit (Autorização de Trabalho). Requests should be made to the Institute for Employment and Training (IEFP). The organization will check for the absence of job offers from citizens of the Portuguese state and the EU and only after this will issue a document allowing work. The permit is valid for up to six months, with the possibility of extension.

Applying for a work visa

To work in Portugal, the applicant must obtain a national visa D. It is issued for a period of 3-4 months. To open a work visa, you need to provide the following documents to the Portuguese consulate located in large cities of Russia:

• completed visa forms – 2 copies;
• original passport and its copies;
• certificate of good conduct;
• health insurance with coverage of at least €30,000;
• documents certifying the availability of finances for living (a bank statement confirming the availability of funds in the account or employer guarantees);
• work contract;
• work permit;
• invitation from a potential employer;
• confirmation of place of residence (housing rental agreement or hotel reservation);
• receipts for payment of state duty;
• color photos (35x45 mm) – 3 pieces.

The review period varies depending on the correctness of the documents provided and can take from 5 to 20 days. Urgent registration options with additional payment are not provided.

Is it worth working illegally?

Illegal work is not encouraged in Portugal; such a worker receives a salary 2-3 times lower, mostly it is hard work without social security. If the state discovers an illegal immigrant, he is deported with an entry ban of 1 to 10 years. Therefore, it is better not to engage in illegal work.

Portugal cannot boast of an abundance of highly paid vacancies, but those who are not chasing big money and want to live in this country will definitely find a job they like.

Additional Information:

• How to obtain Portuguese citizenship and passport legally?
• How to obtain a residence permit in Portugal?
• How to obtain permanent residence in Portugal?

Pros and cons of working in Portugal

Official work in an EU country is the start of a career: good recommendations increase the chances of employment in countries with higher wages. For Russians, they note the positive and negative aspects of working in Portugal. Among the advantages:

1. Loyalty of the local population. The Portuguese are friendly, polite and open to communication.
2. Low prices for vegetables, fruits and fish. The abundance of fresh and high-quality products allows you to eat well at a relatively low cost.
3. Tender Mediterranean climate. Mild winters and warm summers.
4. Good medical care and high level of social security. The average life expectancy of the Portuguese is 80.8 years.

Among the disadvantages are the difficulty of finding highly qualified work, low wages (compared to other European countries) and the high cost of utilities.

It is difficult to get a well-paid position in Portugal, since there is great competition among local and European specialists who have priority for employment. But if the goal is to enjoy the sun and the beach, and also earn extra money, then seasonal work is a very successful and completely feasible idea.

Residence permit in Portugal 2021 – Pharmacies in Portugal

You can find pharmacies (farmacia) in Portugal in the center of your city, as well as in large shopping centers. Portuguese pharmacies are generally open from 9:00 to 19:00 on weekdays (with a lunch break between 13:00 and 15:00) and from 9:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays. There are on-duty pharmacies (farmacio de servico) that remain open at night, as well as on weekends and holidays. In any regular pharmacy you can find a list of pharmacies that provide 24-hour services. A list of similar institutions in Portugal and information about them can also be found on the SNS website.

Public health insurance in Portugal usually covers some of the cost of prescription drugs, but you will usually need to pay some percentage of the cost. Different categories of drugs are subsidized at the following percentages:

Class A - 90%

Class B - 69%

Class C - 37%

Class D - 15%