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PortugalNational job-search visaLimited

Job-search visa in Portugal

A national visa for third-country nationals with high technical competences who want to find qualified work in Portugal. It allows a stay for a set period devoted to finding an employer. Once an employment contract is signed, the visa holder can apply for a residence permit on the basis of the employment relationship. The programme is still being put on a regulatory footing and is not yet available at consulates.

Threshold
The consular fee for a national visa is 110 euros.
Processing time
The period for deciding a job-search visa application is 60 days.

Source: Portal Diplomático MNE — Vistos Nacionais, Documentação instrutória: Procura de trabalho

Who can apply

The visa is intended for candidates with professional skills in the approved fields of high qualification.

It suits you if you

  • Have specialised technical competences in the approved fields
  • Are looking for qualified work in Portugal
  • Are ready to move for a set period

It does not suit you if

  • You already have an employment contract
  • You are looking for low-skilled work
  • You are a European Union national

When the programme is not a fit

You already have an offer from an employer

Use the temporary residence visa based on an employment contract

You are a national of the EU or another EFTA member state

You need to register your place of residence, with no visa required

Your field is outside the list of high-technology competences

Use the temporary residence visa on the general grounds

Documents to gather

As at August of the current year the full official list has not been published, since the programme's regulations are still being drawn up. Based on the general requirements for national visas, the following are expected:

  • A valid passport
  • A completed visa application form
  • Evidence of means of support during the job search
  • A return ticket or evidence that one can be bought
  • Travel medical insurance
  • A criminal record certificate or a certificate of no legal restrictions

How the process runs

The process of applying for the qualified job-search visa (provisional outline):

  1. 1

    Checking that your competences match the required list

    on your own

    The candidate checks that their professional skills are on the list of specialised competences to be approved by a joint order of the ministers of foreign affairs, migration, education and labour.

  2. 2

    Preparing the documents

    1-2 weeks

    Every required document is collected: passport, certificates, evidence of means, insurance, tickets.

  3. 3

    Booking and filing at the consulate

    1 day for the procedure

    The candidate books an appointment at a Portuguese consulate, files the full set of documents and pays the consular fee for processing the application.

  4. 4

    Consideration of the application by the consulate

    variable

    The consulate checks the documents and may request further information. Consideration times will be set in the programme's implementing documents.

  5. 5

    Receiving the visa and entering Portugal

    1-2 days after approval

    Once the decision is positive, the visa is affixed in the passport. The candidate receives the visa and enters Portugal.

  6. 6

    Looking for work during the visa period

    variable

    While the visa is valid, the holder can look for and agree qualified work. The exact search period will be stated in the programme's conditions. If work is found within the period of validity, an application can be filed for a residence permit for employment.

Timelines and rights

Work

The visa permits highly qualified work — until the end of its own term or until a residence permit is issued.

Who you can bring with you

Information on the possibility of bringing family members is still being clarified, since the programme has not yet come into force.

Spouse
Probably on the general family reunification rules: evidence of the family relationship, means sufficient to support both parties, and housing conditions.
Minor children
On the general family reunification requirements: birth certificate, evidence of custody, the other parent's consent where applicable.

Renewal and the grace period

By design, this visa cannot be renewed. If qualified work is found while the visa is valid, the holder applies for a residence permit on the basis of the employment contract. If no work is found within the visa's period of validity, the holder has to leave Portugal. A repeat application for the same visa can only be made a certain period after the previous one expires.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to citizenship

From 19 May 2026 naturalisation applications are filed after 10 years of lawful residence, and after 7 for nationals of EU and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Frequently asked questions about Job-search visa

Why can I not apply right now?
The qualified job-search visa is still being put on a regulatory footing. Although the legislative framework was adopted in October of the previous year, the implementing acts that will set the exact list of approved competences and the conditions for running the programme have not yet come into force. Portuguese consulates and visa application centres are waiting for those orders and are not accepting applications until an official announcement.
Which competences count as specialised and high-technology?
The list of specialised technical competences will be approved by a joint order of the ministers of foreign affairs, migration, education and labour. At present that list has not been published, but it is expected to cover high-technology, rare and highly professional skills in the fields of innovation and scientific research.
For how long is this visa issued?
According to the information on the changes to migration law, the visa is issued for the job-search period with a specific end date stated. That date already includes a built-in deadline for attending the local immigration office to file for a residence permit. The exact length of the period will be set in the programme's implementing documents.
How much is the consular fee?
The consular fee for processing a national visa application in Portugal is 110 euros. It applies to any national visa application, the qualified job-search visa included. An additional fee of 75 euros may apply when appealing a refusal to issue a visa.

Other ways to move to Portugal

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Portugal.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.