The Portugal tech visa is a program involving innovative technological companies interested in employing highly qualified third-country nationals. The main goal is encouraging and attracting these highly qualified professionals to Portugal.
Certain requirements are in place for the tech visa for Portugal and they concern both the company in which the employment will be secured, as well as the qualifications of the non-EU professionals who apply for this type of visa.
The Portugal tech visa is one of the ways in which foreign nationals, in this case, qualified non-Schengen professionals, can remain in the country for medium to long periods and thus be eligible for permanent residency.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Tech Visa program | This is an accreditation program focused on Portuguese companies hiring certain types of employees. |
| Who can obtain the Tech Visa | Non-Schengen employees who want to work in Portugal. |
| Conditions for the employer | Must be an accredited company. |
| Company accreditation for the Tech Visa | Issued by the IAPMEI (The Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation). |
| Company must obtain the accreditation before commencing the employment proces | Yes |
| Employee qualifications for the Tech Visa | Must be a highly qualified employee. |
| Conditions for residence | Only third country nationals who do not currently reside in the EU. |
| Age conditions | At least 18 years of old. |
| Education conditions | Bachelor’s degree or 5-year equivalent experience. |
| Language knowledge conditions | Must be fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, English, or French. |
| Other conditions for the employee | Cannot have a criminal record. |
| Salary conditions for the employer | Must ensure a mandatory minimum wage for employees hire under this program. |
| Percentage of workforce that can be hired with a Tech Visa | 0.5 |
| Special cases for hiring more employees with a Tech Visa | For companies operating in peripheral areas. |
| Portugal Tech Visa duration | Can be for the duration of the employment. |
Our Portugal immigration specialists can assist companies or foreign professionals who are interested in exploring their options under this tech visa. If you would like to receive personalized details, in addition to the information presented herein, do not hesitate to reach out to one of our local agents.
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The Portugal tech visa program
Portuguese companies looking to hire highly qualified professionals from outside the EU can take advantage of the tech visa accreditation program. In order to qualify as a company recognized under this special regime, the respective business entity will need to pass a special certification, proving its innovativeness, among other criteria.
Apart from the conditions set forth for the company itself, the following are relevant for the candidate who wishes to apply for the tech visa in Portugal:
- be a third-country national who is not an EU permanent resident;
- be at least 18 years of age and not have a criminal record;
- have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent 5 years experience in a specialized technical field;
- have sufficient Portuguese, English, Spanish, or French language knowledge;
- the applicant is able to fulfill all tax obligations.
Companies that qualify for this program are able to recruit their qualifying employees in an easier manner. An important condition for businesses is that they can recruit 50% of their staff in this manner (or 80% if they are located in certain areas of the country).
The authority setting forth the main conditions for programs such as the tech visa is the Ministry of Economy and Maritime Affairs, responsible for issuing, assessing, and enforcing the country’s policies for investment and innovation, among others.
Some non-EU professionals may be interested in exploring other options for residence permits in Portugal, apart from the Portugal tech visa. The golden visa (for minimum investments in Portuguese real estate) and the digital nomad visa (for professionals who undertake this type of freelance work) are valid options. Our team can assist you irrespective of the type of visa or residence permit you choose to apply for. They can also help you in case you want to apply for citizenship by investment.
The documents needed for the tech visa in Portugal
The main documents that are required from applicants are listed below, along with the minimum salary requirements for this type of visa:
- the valid employment contract or employment promise from a qualifying company;
- the agreement needs to be valid for 1 year;
- the salary needs to be 1.5 times the annual gross salary or 3 times the indexed value for the social welfare support;
- for certain professional activities, the minimum salary needs to be 1.2 times the annual gross salary/2 times the indexed value for the social welfare support;
- in the case of the Portugal tech visa applicants who will engage in highly qualified professions, proof is needed that they are permitted to exercise the said profession in Portugal.
As needed, our team can also give you details about the expected fees, and other requirements that may be in place in your case.
Remaining in Portugal with a tech visa
The goal of many foreign professionals who come to work in Portugal under the tech visa may be to remain in the country indefinitely. For this to be possible, they would need to continue their employment with the tech program approved company and/or apply for a different type of residence permit.
A foreign national who has been living in Portugal uninterrupted for five years can apply for permanent residence. When calculating the years of residence, a justified, temporary absence of no more than six months per year is acceptable.
If you are interested in moving to Portugal permanently, a permanent residence card will be valid for ten years. Alternatively, you can apply for citizenship by naturalization in Portugal after lawfully living in the country for five years.
Our Portugal immigration specialists can give you more information about the procedure for applying for citizenship depending on your personal situation and the number of years you have lived in the country.
Conditions for the company using a tech visa to hire employees
As seen in this article, the tech visa for Portugal is designed to meet the needs of companies that can benefit from hiring foreign highly qualified professionals.
While the applicant’s education and general compliance is important in order to obtain a Portuguese tech visa, it is also worth pointing out that the company for which the visa holder will be working for needs to meet certain criteria.
A company has to be registered to participate in the Tech Visa program and, as mentioned, it can recruit only half of its total employees under this program. Only in some cases are companies permitted to hire more foreign staff with this visa.
For companies that are registering in the Tech Visa program, the submission to become part of the program is essential. For this purpose, they prepare documents to obtain a permanent certificate and submit social security and tax statements (proof that they have complied with the payments and submission to the authorities).
There are more than 700 companies that are part of the Tech Visa Program, with their certificates for participation being valid thru 2029 in some cases (for companies that entered the program in 2024).
Personalized solutions offered by our team
Our specialists in immigration to Portugal assist individuals who wish to apply for a work or tech visa, as well as those who remain in the country for reasons other than employment.
Portugal welcomes foreign nationals who wish to remain for medium or long-term purposes and, as a result, many types of residence options are available.
Our team can give you more information about the retirement visa or the one suitable for family reunification.
If you are a highly qualified third-country national interested in obtaining a resident permit for working in a qualifying innovative company, our local Portugal immigration agents will assess your case and guide you through the application steps. If you need personalized guidance on the Portugal tech visa requirements, do not hesitate to reach out to our team.