Are you dreaming of moving to Portugal for work? If so, you’ll want to be aware of some recent changes to the residency process, namely the “Manifestação de interesse” (manifestation of interest or expression of interest) route.
In the past, non-EU migrants could move to Portugal without an employment contract, request residency after paying social security for a year, and use a mechanism called “manifestation of interest.” While many lawyers advised against this approach, it was, nonetheless, one of the many ways people gained residency in Portugal. As of June 2024, the Portuguese government has now outlawed this approach.
Moving forward, those who want to work in Portugal will need to obtain an appropriate visa through consular posts before making the move. Don’t worry though – if you’ve already expressed interest, you won’t be affected by this change. You’ll just need to wait for a response from the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA).
According to Publico, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa explained the urgency of this decision, citing the need to regularise many thousands of pending residence permit processes. He believes this new legislation respects existing situations while preventing an overload of new expressions of interest.
So, if you’re planning on making Portugal your new home, be sure to familiarise yourself with these updated requirements.