Portugal
Start here — three doors
- Article 90. Highly-qualified activity under Portugal's ordinary residence route.
- EU Blue Card. A separate skilled-employment title with contract and intra-EU mobility rules.
- Tech Visa. Only through an employer certified by IAPMEI.
Article 90 — published figures with stale reference years
Portugal publishes a distinct Article 90 route ( Source AIMA — Art. 90.º residence permit for highly-qualified activity; this procedure is distinct from the EU Blue Card and Tech Visa procedures Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog. Source AIMA Art. 90.º highly-qualified activity — subordinate hire needs an employer declaration of a contract paying at least 1.5× the national average gross annual salary (€2,157/month) or 3× the IAS; for shortage occupations in ISCO major groups 1 and 2 the floor is at least 1.2× the average gross salary (€1,725.60/month) or 2× the IAS (€1,018.52/month). Reference years: 2023 (average salary), 2024 (IAS) Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog. Source AIMA Art. 90.º — for shortage occupations in ISCO major groups 1 and 2 the published floor is 1.2× the 2023 national average gross salary (€1,725.60/month), or 2× the 2024 IAS; the reference years are stale and must not be presented as a refreshed 2026 threshold Checked Aug 2026 · Band high · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.yes
2157 EUR/month
1725.6 EUR/month
Do not overstateThose euro figures use a 2023 national-average salary and 2024 IAS reference. They are the figures AIMA currently publishes, not proof that the underlying reference was refreshed for 2026.
EU Blue Card — its own contract and mobility rules
The Blue Card exists as a separate route ( Source AIMA — EU Blue Card under Arts. 121.º-A and following is a residence title for highly-qualified employment, separate from the ordinary Art. 90 route Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog. Source AIMA EU Blue Card document list — the work contract or binding promise must cover at least six months; the page states salary multipliers but no safe current euro floor Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog. Source AIMA EU Blue Card page — after at least 18 months holding a Blue Card in another EU Member State, the holder and family may move to Portugal for highly-qualified work, subject to the Portuguese application Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.yes
6 months
18 months
Tech Visa — the employer is the gate
Tech Visa requires an IAPMEI-certified employer ( Source AIMA Tech Visa (Art. 90.º) and Portaria n.º 328/2018 — the employing company must be certified by IAPMEI and issue the programme responsibility term Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.yes
Evidence and sources24 dated facts for Portugal earn — subordinate work needs a contract-backed visa; the no-visa route was revoked 4 Jun 2024; highly-qualified floor ~€2,157/month
The readable briefing above uses these cells. Open a source only when you need to verify a number, date, or legal gate.
- Local hire needs a lawful work-purpose immigration route, not stay aloneMNE Vistos + AIMA working information architecture — long-stay residency visas exist for work and skilled job-seeking purposes; a stay purpose that is not work (and a tax-residence election) is not by itself authority to take local employmentchecked Aug 2026
yes
Source MNE Vistos + AIMA working information architecture — long-stay residency visas exist for work and skilled job-seeking purposes; a stay purpose that is not work (and a tax-residence election) is not by itself authority to take local employment
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Portugal publishes distinct long-stay visa purposes that include workMNE Vistos type-of-visa page — long-stay visas may be temporary or for residency authorisation depending on purpose, including study, internship, work, medical treatment, among others, plus a skilled job-seeker visachecked Aug 2026
yes
Source MNE Vistos type-of-visa page — long-stay visas may be temporary or for residency authorisation depending on purpose, including study, internship, work, medical treatment, among others, plus a skilled job-seeker visa
Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- A subordinate-work visa needs a work contract or promise, filed from the origin countrygov.pt migrantes 'trabalhar e criar um negócio' + MNE Vistos — the residence visa for subordinate professional activity depends on an existing work contract or written promise of a contract, which must be filed with the visa request while still in the country of originchecked Aug 2026
yes
Source gov.pt migrantes 'trabalhar e criar um negócio' + MNE Vistos — the residence visa for subordinate professional activity depends on an existing work contract or written promise of a contract, which must be filed with the visa request while still in the country of origin
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- The no-visa 'expression of interest' work route was revoked from 4 June 2024AIMA Art. 88.º, n.º 2 — the residence permit for subordinate work WITHOUT a residence visa (the 'manifestação de interesse' regularise-from-inside route) was revoked from 4 June 2024 by Decreto-Lei n.º 37-A/2024, de 3 de junho; it still applies only to procedures started up to 3 June 2024checked Aug 2026
2024-06-04
Source AIMA Art. 88.º, n.º 2 — the residence permit for subordinate work WITHOUT a residence visa (the 'manifestação de interesse' regularise-from-inside route) was revoked from 4 June 2024 by Decreto-Lei n.º 37-A/2024, de 3 de junho; it still applies only to procedures started up to 3 June 2024
Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- IEFP is job-search support once you hold a work title — not a publicity gate you satisfygov.pt migrantes — the IEFP (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional) publishes job, traineeship and training offers; you register at a Centro de Emprego once you already hold a title that permits subordinate work. IEFP is employment support, not a personal vacancy-publicity gate the worker must clearchecked Aug 2026
yes
Source gov.pt migrantes — the IEFP (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional) publishes job, traineeship and training offers; you register at a Centro de Emprego once you already hold a title that permits subordinate work. IEFP is employment support, not a personal vacancy-publicity gate the worker must clear
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Highly-qualified subordinate floor: ~€2,157/month (shortage roles ~€1,725.60)AIMA Art. 90.º highly-qualified activity — subordinate hire needs an employer declaration of a contract paying at least 1.5× the national average gross annual salary (€2,157/month) or 3× the IAS; for shortage occupations in ISCO major groups 1 and 2 the floor is at least 1.2× the average gross salary (€1,725.60/month) or 2× the IAS (€1,018.52/month). Reference years: 2023 (average salary), 2024 (IAS)checked Aug 2026
2157 EUR/month
Source AIMA Art. 90.º highly-qualified activity — subordinate hire needs an employer declaration of a contract paying at least 1.5× the national average gross annual salary (€2,157/month) or 3× the IAS; for shortage occupations in ISCO major groups 1 and 2 the floor is at least 1.2× the average gross salary (€1,725.60/month) or 2× the IAS (€1,018.52/month). Reference years: 2023 (average salary), 2024 (IAS)
Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- ARI holders may reside and work, but ARI does not itself grant IFICI tax statusAIMA ARI / Art. 90.º-A says an investment-residence holder may reside and work in Portugal; IFICI is a separate tax incentive with its own eligibility test, so ARI must not be described as an IFICI grantchecked Aug 2026
yes
Source AIMA ARI / Art. 90.º-A says an investment-residence holder may reside and work in Portugal; IFICI is a separate tax incentive with its own eligibility test, so ARI must not be described as an IFICI grant
Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Article 88(1) is the contract-backed local-hire residence routeAIMA — Art. 88.º(1): a subordinate-work residence permit application requires a valid subordinate-work residence visa and an employer declaration attesting the employment relationshipchecked Aug 2026
yes
Source AIMA — Art. 88.º(1): a subordinate-work residence permit application requires a valid subordinate-work residence visa and an employer declaration attesting the employment relationship
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Initial Article 88 work residence permit validityAIMA Art. 88.º(1) notes — the temporary residence permit for professional activity is valid for two years from issue and renewable for successive three-year periodschecked Aug 2026
2 years
Source AIMA Art. 88.º(1) notes — the temporary residence permit for professional activity is valid for two years from issue and renewable for successive three-year periods
Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Switching from subordinate to independent activity requires an AIMA title changeAIMA Art. 88.º(1) notes — a subordinate-work permit holder may carry on independent activity only after asking AIMA to substitute the residence titlechecked Aug 2026
yes
Source AIMA Art. 88.º(1) notes — a subordinate-work permit holder may carry on independent activity only after asking AIMA to substitute the residence title
Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Portugal has a residence route for remote work delivered outside PortugalAIMA — Art. 88.º(1) digital-nomad residence route: the work or services must be provided remotely to a natural or legal person domiciled or headquartered outside Portugalchecked Aug 2026
yes
Source AIMA — Art. 88.º(1) digital-nomad residence route: the work or services must be provided remotely to a natural or legal person domiciled or headquartered outside Portugal
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Remote-work income test is four times the Portuguese minimum wageDecreto Regulamentar n.º 4/2022, Arts. 18.º-B and 31.º-A — proof of average monthly income over the previous three months must equal at least four guaranteed minimum monthly wages (RMMG)checked Aug 2026
4 × RMMG
Source Decreto Regulamentar n.º 4/2022, Arts. 18.º-B and 31.º-A — proof of average monthly income over the previous three months must equal at least four guaranteed minimum monthly wages (RMMG)
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Income lookback for the remote-work routeDecreto Regulamentar n.º 4/2022, Arts. 18.º-B and 31.º-A — the four-times-RMMG test uses average monthly income earned in the last three monthschecked Aug 2026
3 months
Source Decreto Regulamentar n.º 4/2022, Arts. 18.º-B and 31.º-A — the four-times-RMMG test uses average monthly income earned in the last three months
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- 2026 remote-work income floorArithmetic from Decreto Regulamentar n.º 4/2022 (4× RMMG) and Decreto-Lei n.º 139/2025 (€920 RMMG for 2026): 4 × €920 = €3,680 average monthly income; this moves when RMMG changeschecked Aug 2026
3680 EUR/month
Source Arithmetic from Decreto Regulamentar n.º 4/2022 (4× RMMG) and Decreto-Lei n.º 139/2025 (€920 RMMG for 2026): 4 × €920 = €3,680 average monthly income; this moves when RMMG changes
Checked Aug 2026 · Band high · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Initial remote-work residence permit validityAIMA digital-nomad route notes — the temporary residence permit is valid for two years from issue and renewable for successive three-year periodschecked Aug 2026
2 years
Source AIMA digital-nomad route notes — the temporary residence permit is valid for two years from issue and renewable for successive three-year periods
Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Article 90 is a distinct highly-qualified activity routeAIMA — Art. 90.º residence permit for highly-qualified activity; this procedure is distinct from the EU Blue Card and Tech Visa procedureschecked Aug 2026
yes
Source AIMA — Art. 90.º residence permit for highly-qualified activity; this procedure is distinct from the EU Blue Card and Tech Visa procedures
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Published shortage-occupation floor (AIMA uses 2023 salary reference)AIMA Art. 90.º — for shortage occupations in ISCO major groups 1 and 2 the published floor is 1.2× the 2023 national average gross salary (€1,725.60/month), or 2× the 2024 IAS; the reference years are stale and must not be presented as a refreshed 2026 thresholdchecked Aug 2026
1725.6 EUR/month
Source AIMA Art. 90.º — for shortage occupations in ISCO major groups 1 and 2 the published floor is 1.2× the 2023 national average gross salary (€1,725.60/month), or 2× the 2024 IAS; the reference years are stale and must not be presented as a refreshed 2026 threshold
Checked Aug 2026 · Band high · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Portugal has a separate EU Blue Card route for highly-qualified employmentAIMA — EU Blue Card under Arts. 121.º-A and following is a residence title for highly-qualified employment, separate from the ordinary Art. 90 routechecked Aug 2026
yes
Source AIMA — EU Blue Card under Arts. 121.º-A and following is a residence title for highly-qualified employment, separate from the ordinary Art. 90 route
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Minimum EU Blue Card contract or binding offer termAIMA EU Blue Card document list — the work contract or binding promise must cover at least six months; the page states salary multipliers but no safe current euro floorchecked Aug 2026
6 months
Source AIMA EU Blue Card document list — the work contract or binding promise must cover at least six months; the page states salary multipliers but no safe current euro floor
Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Blue Card mobility into Portugal after time in another Member StateAIMA EU Blue Card page — after at least 18 months holding a Blue Card in another EU Member State, the holder and family may move to Portugal for highly-qualified work, subject to the Portuguese applicationchecked Aug 2026
18 months
Source AIMA EU Blue Card page — after at least 18 months holding a Blue Card in another EU Member State, the holder and family may move to Portugal for highly-qualified work, subject to the Portuguese application
Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Tech Visa requires an IAPMEI-certified employerAIMA Tech Visa (Art. 90.º) and Portaria n.º 328/2018 — the employing company must be certified by IAPMEI and issue the programme responsibility termchecked Aug 2026
yes
Source AIMA Tech Visa (Art. 90.º) and Portaria n.º 328/2018 — the employing company must be certified by IAPMEI and issue the programme responsibility term
Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- Article 89(1) is the visa-backed independent-activity routeAIMA — Art. 89.º(1) independent-activity residence route requires the matching residence visa plus evidence of tax/social-security start and a services contract, company permanent certificate, or recent invoiceschecked Aug 2026
yes
Source AIMA — Art. 89.º(1) independent-activity residence route requires the matching residence visa plus evidence of tax/social-security start and a services contract, company permanent certificate, or recent invoices
Checked Aug 2026 · Band low · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- The no-visa independent-activity route was revoked from 4 June 2024AIMA Art. 89.º(2) and Decreto-Lei n.º 37-A/2024 — the independent-activity residence route without a residence visa was revoked from 4 June 2024, preserving only procedures started by 3 June 2024checked Aug 2026
2024-06-04
Source AIMA Art. 89.º(2) and Decreto-Lei n.º 37-A/2024 — the independent-activity residence route without a residence visa was revoked from 4 June 2024, preserving only procedures started by 3 June 2024
Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
- StartUP Visa is an IAPMEI-certified incubator route, not a general founder passAIMA StartUP Visa, Art. 89.º(4) — the entrepreneur needs an IAPMEI declaration showing admission to a certified incubator for an innovative company; this is not a general company-formation shortcutchecked Aug 2026
yes
Source AIMA StartUP Visa, Art. 89.º(4) — the entrepreneur needs an IAPMEI declaration showing admission to a certified incubator for an innovative company; this is not a general company-formation shortcut
Checked Aug 2026 · Band med · Status fresh
Method: figures past 2× SLA hide. See /method · /status · /changelog.
Common questions
Are Article 90, the EU Blue Card and Tech Visa the same route?
No. AIMA publishes them as distinct procedures. Article 90 is the ordinary highly-qualified activity permit; the EU Blue Card has its own contract and mobility rules; Tech Visa requires an IAPMEI-certified employer.
What salary floor does Article 90 use?
AIMA currently displays €2,157 per month for the general route and €1,725.60 for listed shortage occupations, but those figures use 2023 average-salary and 2024 IAS references. Treat them as the authority's published reference, not a independently refreshed 2026 threshold.
How long must an EU Blue Card contract run?
At least six months. AIMA states salary multipliers, but the page does not provide a safe current euro figure; this page does not invent one.
Can I move a Blue Card from another EU country to Portugal?
AIMA states that after at least 18 months holding a Blue Card in another Member State, the holder and family may move for highly-qualified work, subject to the Portuguese application.
← Earn in Portugal · Local hire · Remote · Independent / own business