Qualified Job Seeker Visa in Portugal: Origin, Reconfiguration, and Impact

Author: Lidiane de Carvalho

Context and Reconfiguration

In the post-pandemic context, Portugal created the Job Seeker Visa on August 25, 2022 [1], with the goal of addressing the ongoing and immediate labor market needs for workforce intake. We previously covered this option in the article Exploring Portugal’s Job Seeker Visa: A Path to New Opportunities.

The latest amendment to Law No. 23/2007 (Foreigners Act), published on October 22, 2025, modified the initial structure of this visa category and now prioritizes access for qualified workers or individuals intending to engage in highly qualified activities.

Portugal has therefore restricted what was previously a general channel allowing individuals to seek employment without a prior contract, limiting it to specific professionals or fields of activity.

This amendment aligns national policy more closely with European policy in this area, particularly in light of the EU Blue Card Directive [2].

This is not a residence visa. It is a national visa that authorizes the entry and temporary stay of third-country nationals for the purpose of seeking a professional position in highly qualified activities during the validity of the visa.

Unlike Residence Visas that authorize professional activity and often require a prior employment contract, the Job Seeker Visa allows applicants to actively seek opportunities while physically present in Portugal.

Qualified Job Seeker Visa (QJSV)

Regarding permits, deadlines, and application procedures, there have been no substantial changes from the previous regime.

To apply for the visa, the applicant must:

1. Demonstrate specialized technical skills, relevant qualifications, and professional experience.

2. Express an intention to register with the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), Portugal’s public employment service.

3. Submit a declaration of stay conditions in Portugal, demonstrating objective means of subsistence during the visa validity period.

After obtaining the declaration of interest, applicants may schedule an appointment at the nearest Portuguese consular authority to submit their Qualified Job Seeker Visa application.

The visa is valid for 120 days, extendable for an additional 60 days, and allows only one entry into Portuguese territory.

What If No Job Is Found During the Visa Period?

If the holder does not secure highly qualified employment (i.e., if the visa is not converted into a residence permit) within the visa validity period (up to 180 days with extension), departure from Portuguese territory becomes mandatory.

• Reapplication: A new Job Seeker Visa may be requested, but only one year after the expiration of the initial visa.

  
  

• Other Schengen Visas: After leaving Portugal, it is possible to apply for other short-term or residence visas, provided all legal requirements are met.

What Has Actually Changed?

In addition to restricting eligibility to qualified workers, the following changes stand out:

Nature of the Permitted Activity

Under the previous version, the law expressly stated that the Job Seeker Visa authorized the holder to engage in dependent employment, meaning conversion into a residence permit required a subordinate employment contract.

Under the current version, the law provides that the visa authorizes the holder to engage in highly qualified professional activity, without limiting the type of contractual relationship. This allows for service providers, independent contractors, or freelancers, provided the activity qualifies as highly skilled.

Mandatory Prior Opinions

The visa application must be reviewed by:

• AIMA, I.P., regarding compliance with immigration requirements and migration risk assessment.

• UCFE, regarding security concerns and the prevention of facilitation of illegal immigration.

  
  

Without favorable opinions from these entities, the visa may be denied.

Residence Permit Appointment

Previously, once employment was secured, the holder could apply for a residence permit before AIMA.

Under the new framework, the visa already includes a pre-scheduled appointment for the issuance of a residence permit within the 120-day (or 180-day) validity period.

Rights and Limitations

• The Qualified Job Seeker Visa allows residence in Portugal but does not authorize travel within the Schengen Area.

• Family members are not initially included. However, after obtaining a residence permit, family reunification may be requested, subject to current legal requirements.

What Is a “Highly Qualified Activity”?

The Foreigners Act defines a Highly Qualified Activity as one requiring specialized technical skills of an exceptional nature or appropriate qualifications for its exercise, namely higher education credentials.

There is no specific legal definition of a “qualified worker” (or “highly qualified worker”).

Since the creation of the Job Seeker Visa in 2022, the law has required proof of specialized technical skills, to be further defined by a governmental regulation issued by the ministries responsible for foreign affairs, migration, education, and labor [3].

In the absence of such regulation specifying sectoral criteria, the standards used for the Highly Qualified Subordinate Work Residence Visa are applied, namely:

• An employment contract with a minimum duration of 12 months; and

• Annual remuneration equal to or higher than 1.5 times the national average gross salary or 3 times the Social Support Index (IAS). This threshold may be reduced to 1.2 times the national average gross salary for professions included in major groups 1 and 2 of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) [4], identified as shortage occupations.

Tensions and Impact

The new structure of the Qualified Job Seeker Visa effectively closes the broader pathway created in 2022 that allowed entry and stay for job searching regardless of qualification level or field of activity.

This change occurs within a broader political context of stricter immigration regulation in Portugal.

Regarding labor migration, Portugal had already, as of June 3, 2024, discontinued the migration regularization pathway known as the Expression of Interest, which had applied to both dependent and independent workers.

This legislative choice generated intense public debate, despite the widely acknowledged labor shortages in sectors such as construction, hospitality, and caregiving—fields that generally do not require high-level qualifications for most positions [5].

At the same time, on April 1, 2025, the Government announced the formalization of the Cooperation Protocol for Regulated Labor Migration, known as the “Green Lane,” signed between the Portuguese State and major public and employer entities. Its objective is to create a more structured, faster, and balanced process for hiring foreign workers [6], replacing the former Expression of Interest mechanism.

Conclusion

The reconfiguration of the Job Seeker Visa signals Portugal’s shift toward prior assessment of actual employability, professional qualifications, security considerations, migration risk mitigation, and regulated channels.

Nevertheless, tensions remain between the requirement for highly qualified profiles and the reality of labor shortages in less-skilled sectors.

The Qualified Job Seeker Visa remains an interesting alternative not only for third-country nationals who do not yet have a defined job offer, but also for Portuguese employers seeking to attract highly qualified professionals. Visa holders may be integrated into the workforce immediately, as they are already physically present in Portugal and authorized to engage in professional activity.

Por: Lidiane de Carvalho

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws and regulations change. Always verify the current official texts and seek qualified counsel for your specific situation.

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[1] The amendment to the Foreigners Act was introduced through Law No. 18/2022.

[2] It was transposed into the national legal framework by Law No. 53/2023.

[3] The legislative technique adopted consists of an enabling provision in the statute, with further specification through a subordinate administrative regulatory act (ordinance). This approach ensures flexibility to adjust the list of required technical skills without the need for additional legislative amendments, provided that the principles of legal certainty and legislative reservation are respected.

[4] This refers to the Portuguese translation of the International Labour Organization’s International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO). In Portugal, the reference framework used is the Portuguese Classification of Occupations (CPP), aligned with ISCO, approved and published by the Higher Council of Statistics.

[5] Regarding a potential constitutional challenge to this form of positive differentiation in favor of qualified professionals, the Constitutional Court did not issue a specific ruling during its prior review of the decree that implemented the latest amendment to the Foreigners Act. The Court merely referred to the applicable European provisions and to the future ordinance that will define the required technical skills (Judgment No. 785/2025 – Constitutional Court, Plenary).

[6] Under the Green Lane program, employer entities select candidates, submit work visa applications before Portuguese consulates in the workers’ country of origin or residence, and undertake commitments to provide accommodation and linguistic integration support.