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Your Guide to Living and Working in Portugal

Moving To Live, Work Or Retire In Portugal.

Portugal is an attractive destination for expats whether as a retiree or to work in Portugal. According to the provisional results of the 2021 Portugal population census, there was an increase of 40% in the number of foreign residents in Portugal between 2011 and 2021, amounting to 555 299 people. Foreign citizens account for 5.4% of the total population living in Portugal. In 2011, this figure was 3.7%. The Algarve and Lisbon Metropolitan Area have the highest proportion of foreign citizens with 15% and 9% of their populations respectively. This is an increase since 2011 from 12% in the Algarve and 7% in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. When looking where to live in Portugal the most popular is the Algarve but there are seven provinces and each has its attractions:

Moving To Portugal – What You Need To Know

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Portugal has a warm climate but with the influence of the Atlantic has more rainfall than the southern Mediterranean countries.

A Quick Guide To Portugal’s ‘D’ Visas

Portugal has become an increasingly popular destination for expats over the past few years, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s a beautiful country with property tending to be available at a price cheaper than the average of the UK or US equivalents. The cost of living is also cheaper than the majority of…

Visa and Immigration EU Citizens can visit Portugal without a visa. Non-EU citizens are subject to the terms of the Schengen Visa which limits stays without a visa to 90 in 180 days. Brits and citizens of countries that have a visa-liberalisation agreement with the Schengen member states are subject to the terms of the Schengen visa but do not need to apply for a visa.

Work Visa And Work Permit Requirements In Portugal

Portugal is often seen as a destination for people retiring to the sun but it is also a destination for people wanting to work in Portugal. What are the work visa and work permit requirements in Portugal if you are not an EU citizen? Who needs to apply for a…

If you plan to stay longer than 90 days you will need to get an appropriate visa depending on whether you plan to work, run a business or retire.

How To Find Your First Expat Job

The idea of finding a job abroad is very appealing for a wide range of reasons. For some people there are clear financial benefits and career-boosting opportunities. Others may find the idea of living abroad a romantic experience that should be seized at every opportunity. Written exclusively for Expat Network by Sabrina Bucknole on behalf…

Should I Take The Job? Considerations Before Accepting A Job

When you are applying for a job abroad there can often be a prolonged selection process. When you have finally made it from the initial application through to the shortlist and receive a job offer the natural instinct is to accept the offer and look forward to your exciting new life abroad. However, before accepting…

Use Portugal’s D7 Passive Income Visa To Retire To The Sun

For those wanting to retire to the sun Portugal offers a great quality of life, a low cost of living as well as the attractive Non-Habitual Residence Scheme to reduce the taxes due on your overseas pension or other income. Portugal’s Passive Income Visa gives non-EU citizens an option to gain residence in Portugal. Non-EU/EEA/Swiss…

Top Ten Tips When Planning Your Retirement Abroad

Retiring abroad is increasingly popular with estimates ranging from 10% of people in the UK considering retiring abroad to over 30%. Moving to a warmer climate with a lower cost of living enabling you to enjoy a more active retirement can be a very attractive proposition. It is, however, a major life decision and should…

Property Options When Retiring Abroad

A Spanish villa with a pool on the Costa Del Sol, a charming old farmhouse in the Dordogne, an apartment in The Algarve or a country home on the rolling hills of Tuscany. Whatever your vision for your retirement abroad you need to be sure you make an informed decision about where you plan to…

Relocating When moving to Portugal you need to decide whether to take all your personal items with you and having decided what you are taking you will need to look at your options for transporting your goods to Portugal. This can range from taking the goods yourself in your own car or in a one-way van rental to a full removal service from an international removal company.

How To Claim The UK State Pension Abroad

You can continue to claim your State Pension when you decide to retire abroad, provided you have paid enough UK National Insurance contributions to qualify. If you have not yet started receiving your pension you can get a State Pension statement to tell you how much State Pension you may get In order to claim…

How to Arrange Your US Social Security Retirement Benefit

Over half a million people receive some kind of Social Security benefit abroad, including retired and disabled workers, as well as spouses, widows, widowers, and children. If you retire abroad you can receive your Social Security payments outside the United States as long as you are eligible and live in a country where payment is…

Cost Of Living While Retiring Abroad

A lower cost of living is one of the factors when people consider retiring abroad. There are many countries where the cost of living is lower than in the UK, but the decision is always about having a lower cost to live the life that you want to live rather than finding the cheapest place…

Top Ten Tips To Settle Into Retirement Abroad

Settling in to living abroad can be a challenge at any time, but if you are also getting used to retirement after a long and active career, it can be even more difficult to achieve. Knowing what to expect can help to manage the transition and here we give our top ten tips to settling…

Expats – Plan Your Retirement Abroad

Many expats having spent a proportion or all of their career abroad get used to a different climate and lifestyle and do not feel drawn back to their home country when considering their retirement. There are many options for retiring and it is a very personal decision on where to retire. For some retiring where…

Top Ten Issues When Deciding Where To Retire Abroad

Many of us have a clear idea of where we would like to retire, but there are many factors to consider. You may have had many happy holidays in one part of the world, but that does not necessarily mean it is the best place to spend your retirement. Costs, taxes, environment, community and what…

Accessing Healthcare When You Retire Abroad

Retiring abroad is a major decision and one of the key issues if we are to get the best out of life in retirement wherever we are is access to good quality healthcare. The accessibility of healthcare should be one of the key factors in the decision on where to retire. There can be a…

Family and Education Moving with family can be a rewarding experience but it takes planning and once you have arrived in Portugal choosing the best option to educate your children is a priority: state school or private sector, Portuguese or International.

Choosing Schools In Portugal

The programmes of international schools in Portugal vary from the International Baccalaureate (IB) to the British GCSE and GCE examination systems. All schools in Portugal are required to satisfy the requirements of the Portuguese national system. The International Baccalaureate Organisation’s Diploma Programme was created in 1968. It is a demanding pre-university course of study that…

Moving With Family

Any international move is complicated, but moving with family takes even more planning. The first challenge is to deliver the message to the family. This will require a detailed discussion; they are likely to have a large number of questions but it may not be easy to get them to ask them initially. Children of…

Moving Pets to Portugal

When taking a pet from an EU country or from non-EU countries into Portugal the EU rules apply. This requires vaccination against rabies to be documented in the pet passport or the animal health certificate. This is the sole requirement for dogs, cats and ferrets to travel across EU borders, with certain exceptions. Pets…

Expats: How To Select An International School

Moving to a new job, a new town, a new country – effectively a new life – is challenging. Add in the fear and guilt that you are disrupting your children’s lives, that they may struggle to adapt, and your anxiety and stress levels soar. By Fiona Hodgkins Although local schools offer the best opportunity…

Money Portugal’s Non-Habitual Residence Scheme is a major draw for people moving to Portugal. This gives you ten years with tax at 10% on any foreign pension income and zero tax on foreign investment income as well as low rates of tax on earnings from various occupations.

Finding The Right School

Viable and attractive school options will be a major factor when relocating with family. The choice will generally be between sending your child(ren) to an international or a local school. There are advantages to each option and you need to decide what best for your children. International Schools International schools can provide real advantages: They…

Expat Partner Or Trailing Spouse

Any decision to take a role abroad is relatively easy if you do not have a partner or family, but as soon as a partner is involved decisions become more complicated. Although partners and family can provide emotional support and enrich the experience, studies have repeatedly shown that the most common cause of problems with…

Working in Portugal Portugal does not attract as many people to work in Portugal as some of the major economies in Europe. The main industries in Portugal are tourism and hospitality, textile, footwear, construction, automotive, transportation and electronics.

How To Buy Property Abroad Safely – Our Top Ten Tips

How do you buy property abroad safely? Many people are attracted to the idea of buying an investment property or second home abroad, maybe to allow them to retire abroad. How do you ensure that you buy the right property and minimise the potential risks involved? The number of people buying abroad fell after the…

Buying Property In Portugal

Portuguese estate agents must be licensed and qualified, so ask to see their INCI certificate and AMI licence. With typical agent fees of more than 5%, private sales are common – look out for boards saying vende-se or para venda. By Christopher Nye Among Portugal’s largest online property portals are casa.sapo.pt and imovirtual.com, or a…

Retiring to Portugal Portugal with its climate, lifestyle and friendly people is a popular destination for people planning to retire abroad. Traditionally Portugal has been attractive to HNW individuals taking advantage of the Non-Habitual Residence Scheme to enjoy low tax on their income during their retirement. However, at the other end of the scale increasing numbers are attracted by the low income requirement to qualify for a D7 or Passive Income Visa.

Use Portugal’s D7 Passive Income Visa To Retire To The Sun

Financing The Purchase Of A Property Abroad

Financing is of course a key thing to consider when you are looking to purchase a property abroad. If you are unable to purchase the property from your own funds you will need to identify options to obtain a mortgage. There are basically three options: 1. Remortgage your home – This can be the easiest…

Property Once you have decided where you want to live you will need to decide what sort of property you want to live in and whether you are going to rent or buy.

Renting Abroad: How To Choose The Best Option

There are so many decisions to make and things to plan when you’re moving abroad, so we’re here to make at least one of those things easier for you – choosing somewhere to rent. It can be difficult enough renting in your own country, so throw different customs and languages into the mix and you’ve…

Property Options When Retiring Abroad

Top 20 Tips For Buying Property Abroad

Buying property abroad comes with a number of new challenges and complexities that are different from those faced in the UK. Simon Conn who has been arranging overseas mortgages for over 35 years gives his top 20 tips when buying property abroad. Written by Simon Conn, Overseas Property and Finance Specialist With the overseas…

Lifestyle Portugal offers a relaxed lifestyle in a pleasant climate with a low cost of living. There are plenty of options to experience an authentic Portuguese life as well as areas where you can be in regular contact with established expat communities if that is your preference.

Opening A Bank Account In Portugal

Expats living, working or retiring in Portugal may benefit from opening a bank account in Portugal to receive salaries, pensions etc and to pay regular bills and access cash machines. There are options to open a Portuguese bank, an account with an international bank with branches in Portugal or a mobile/digital bank account. …

Healthcare Portugal has a residence-based healthcare system. This means that if you are legally resident in Portugal, you are entitled to state healthcare on the same basis as a Portuguese citizen.

Healthcare In Portugal

Access to the Portuguese health system is based on residence. Everyone who’s registered as a resident can also register to access the Portuguese national health service (SNS) on the same basis as a Portuguese citizen. This is the same if you’re employed, self-employed or not working. Here we outline how expats can access healthcare in…

Download your Free Guide to Living in Portugal here!

So you are moving to Portugal! Make the transition work better with this free-to-download, full-colour guide. Your Guide To Living In Portugal provides you with guidance on the issues you will need to address as you plan your move, whether that is to retire, buy a second property or simply enjoy a whole new life.

Download your FREE Guide

Download your Free Guide to Living in Portugal here!

Download your FREE Guide to Living in Portugal