Lisbon — It is not new that Portugal runs after workers to make up for its labor shortage. And the newest mechanism to attract citizens willing to face any type of job came with the change in the Foreigners Law, approved in August this year by the Portuguese Parliament. The new rules came into effect, effectively, on October 30th, and, since last Sunday (11/6), Brazilians who want to look for a job in Portuguese territory can apply through the VSF website, a third-party company contracted by the Portuguese government to process the requests, at an initial cost of R$ 606.23.
Under the new rules, it will be necessary to prove that you have saved at least three minimum wages in Portugal (2,115 euros or R$ 10,900) to stay in Portuguese territory for up to 180 days, 120 of which can be extended for another 60, to look for a job. It is also necessary to register in advance on the website of the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP). Immigrants who find work will be entitled to a residence permit with an initial validity of two years.
Those who do not have the minimum income available to cover expenses in Portugal may present a liability waiver signed by a Portuguese citizen or by a foreigner qualified to live in the country. In this document, the person in charge undertakes to bear any expenses with food and housing for the candidate for a job in Portugal, releasing the government from possible burdens.
According to Thiago Huver, master in private international law and partner at Martins Castro, the new legislation waived proof of means of subsistence for citizens of countries that make up the Portuguese Language Community (CPLP), of which Brazil is a member. Temporary visas, which can be obtained directly from Portuguese consulates, allow foreigners to enter Portugal and try to fit into the job market. The initial term is 120 days, renewable for another 60 days.
The path to obtaining temporary work visas in Portugal is much less tortuous, but it is necessary to follow it strictly to avoid frustration. In the case of those who are going to present the term of responsibility at the consulate, it is important to remember that everything will be checked and, at the slightest sign of inconsistency in the information, the visas will be denied. The European country knows it needs manpower, however, it does not want to turn the immigration process into a spree. Therefore, another of the requirements assumed by those responsible for job applicants is that they pay for their return to their countries of origin if they are unable to find a place in the job market. The government does not want illegals in Portuguese territory.
“Complying with the requirements is fundamental to succeed in the requests with the consulates”, reinforces Huver. He also points out that the visa for looking for work is individual, that is, it does not allow travel with family members. More: the beneficiaries will have to forward the applications for entry in Portugal to the Institute of Employment and Professional Training (IEFP), indicating the academic qualifications and experiences in the labor market. “It is important to make it clear that applying for a visa to look for work is not valid for those who are already in Portugal. Brazilians who live in Portuguese territory and have obtained a formal job can legalize themselves by expressing interest, a measure provided for by law”, he explains.
Departure from illegality
For the lawyer Marcelo Rubin, partner of the consultancy Clube do Passaporte, when creating visas for looking for jobs in Portugal, the government not only followed a mobility agreement that it had signed with Portuguese-speaking countries, but also put into practice a movement to solve demographic and border problems. “This process is of great interest to Brazilians, who enter Portugal as tourists and end up staying in the country after finding a job, resorting to the SEF (Foreigners and Borders Service) to regularize the situation. With the new visas, this will decrease a lot”, he believes.
Rubin recalls that, due to the large number of foreigners who entered Portugal as tourists and today express an interest in staying in the country, the immigration system has faced turmoil. And everyone knows that migration will continue, especially of citizens from countries like Brazil, which were Portuguese colonies. “From Portugal's point of view, it is better to create temporary visas to look for a job than to continue encouraging people to stay outside the law, and then seek regularization”, he explains.
From a demographic point of view, Portugal is a country with a large elderly population, which depends on the social security system to maintain itself. The population has been shrinking year by year. As such, foreign workers are key to bolstering public coffers — they already contribute nearly €1 billion (R$ 5.5 billion) per year to social security — and to fill thousands of vacancies in all sectors of the economy that are open.
market reserve
Adriana Schneider, specialist in human and organizational development and CEO of Humanare, reinforces that there are many vacancies available in the labor market in Portugal, especially those that require less qualification, which the Portuguese do not want to occupy. “They are masons, drivers, carpenters, attendants”, he points out. The Portuguese, she adds, greatly raised the level of education after joining the European Union. “When they graduate, they leave for other countries in the region in search of better wages”, he adds.
Even in the area of information technology, open positions are mostly for technicians, who earn less. Management, leadership positions are held by the Portuguese and Europeans. “There is a market reserve, despite the need for manpower”, explains Adriana. This does not, however, prevent Brazilians from moving to Portugal, accepting to occupy these positions, taking a step back in their professional career, confident that, later on, they will be able to take greater steps already being in the European country. “It is an option”, he points out.
For Renato Martins, CEO of Martins Castro, master in law and researcher in international mobility, the worker who decides to pursue opportunities in Portugal should pay attention to all the details. “He cannot, for example, receive less than one minimum wage per month (705 euros or R$ 3.8 thousand) and will have to contribute to the Social Security System, the Portuguese Social Security”, he says. You will also have to present travel insurance or a document issued by Social Security in Brazil, the PB4, which guarantees care in the Portuguese public health system, and a valid passport. “And people with a conviction of more than three years in prison will not be accepted”, he stresses.
The specialist points out, however, that if, on the one hand, such requirements can restrict access to the Portuguese labor market, on the other hand, they bring security to immigrants, who will not be susceptible to accepting any job offer or even joining the work situation. illegal to maintain subsistence in the country while seeking a formal vacancy. “Those who are hired will be able to remain in Portugal, with the right to apply for residency in the country”, he emphasizes.
After the five-year period, always with proof of employment, there will be the option of obtaining Portuguese citizenship. “This is a great advantage and brings greater stability to workers, as it allows free transit through European Union countries as tourists and also favors career internationalization”, adds the CEO of Martins Castro. It is worth remembering that the cost of living in Portugal, despite being lower than in most European countries, continues to rise. Renting a two-bedroom apartment in Lisbon costs no less than 1,000 euros (R$ 5,200).
By Vicente Nunes